HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Several local voters were accidentally sent a sleeve of ballots used to test voting machines for the upcoming Virginia Presidential Primary, instead of the absentee ballots they requested.
Tara Morgan, the City of Hampton’s registrar, confirmed to 10 On Your Side that 17 of the test ballots were sent between Feb. 11 and 18.
A representative with the Department of Elections (DOE) is trying to figure out how and why the test ballots were sent out. Morgan says they learned about it after someone who received a ballot called their office.
A viewer sent a photo to 10 On Your Side, which shows a ballot he received in the mail. The ballot has the slot for Bernie Sanders already selected, but Morgan says both republican and democratic parties were involved in the ballot error.
The City of Hampton has told the DOE they have identified the voters who got the wrong ballots and they are working to give them the correct ones.
Morgan also told WAVY they have new voting machines and a new vendor. The vendor apparently sent a big box with absentee ballots along with test ballots for both parties. They were not expecting the test ballots. The office is conducting additional training because of the mistake.
