According to a press release received from Moffat County on Tuesday, Oct. 29, Clerk and Recorder Stacy Morgan has become aware that a printing error on the part of the county’s ballot-printing vendor has prevented every mail-in ballot from being scanned for tabulation.

A public notice was posted notifying the public of the issue. “As soon as we were aware of this printer error, we began working diligently to address this issue. Moffat County did not ask for this, and I have demanded that the vendor fully reimburse Moffat County and our taxpayers for all printing, staff and supply costs resulting from their error, to ensure that they make Moffat County citizens whole,” said Morgan. “Our community’s bipartisan election judges, and the Moffat County election team are going to work tirelessly to ensure this is corrected for our voters.”

Details of the issue

The printing error — which caused “timing marks” on the ballot to be cut off — will not impact a voter’s vote being properly counted. Timing marks are black lines on the edge of a ballot that inform the tabulator of the ballot style in order to count the ballot.

To ensure that voters’ selections are properly counted, bipartisan teams of election judges will follow the well-established and strictly regulated ballot duplication process. This is a normal process during every election that election judges use to ensure ballots that have been damaged or are otherwise unscannable can be counted.

Ballot duplication is addressed in Colorado Election Rule 18.4 and is open to observation by election watchers appointed by political parties and candidates. Bipartisan teams of election judges will duplicate every voter’s choices from their original, returned ballot onto a new, blank ballot with proper timing marks to ensure it can be properly scanned and counted. It is reviewed twice and audited a third time as batches are processed. Duplication will take place in a secure area with 24/7 video surveillance. The original submitted ballot will be audited if chosen during the state’s risk-limiting audits.

Voters also have the option to vote in person at the Voter Service and Polling Center at the Moffat County Courthouse at 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 105, in Craig.

For additional details, visit the Moffat County elections website.

The Moffat County Clerk and Recorder is seeking additional election judges to assist with the duplication of ballots received by mail for the 2024 General Election

Voters willing to work are encouraged to sign up to assist as election judges. Judges are paid $15 an hour. Election judges are paired in bipartisan teams, so it is important that voters with a variety of political affiliations sign up to help. Additional election judges are needed from now through Election Day until the ballots are processed.

To apply, email smorgan@moffatcounty.net or call 970-824-9120.