Ballot Error Causes Delay in Final Results for Clinton County

Final numbers for the 2020 General Election in Clinton County were delayed Tuesday night due to a ballot error.

“There was nothing wrong with the machines,” said Clinton County Clerk Rhea Harris. “We found out early during the absentee voting period that we had two precincts that had an error on the ballot.”

Harris said the error involved Precincts 22 and 23 voting for the State House of Representatives in Jackson Township. She said the ballot said this was for District 25. It should have read District 38.

“We had to pull the four machines we were using and they were only here in the Courthouse,” said Harris. “We had to reprogram those machines and isolate them until such time as we could count them.”

Harris said they contacted voters when they found the error.

“We didn’t have to notify them, but we thought that it was the right thing to do,” said Harris. “We gave them the option to recast their ballot.”