DC mailer sent to voters causing confusion, concern

WASHINGTON - A D.C. Board of Elections mailer intended to confirm voters’ addresses in order to send them mail-in ballots this year is already creating confusion for some – and it’s all because of a design flaw.

READ MORE: How to vote by mail in the District, Maryland and Virginia

In the era of the novel coronavirus, many jurisdictions are asking residents to vote by mail.

While voters in Maryland and Virginia must apply for a ballot, D.C. elections officials are trying to make it as easy as possible.

2020 Elections: DC, Maryland primary results

So they sent out the mailer to confirm residents’ addresses. Some recipients noticed, however, that if you tear the mailer along a perforation, crucial information may be lost.

According to the board of elections, there isn’t enough time to send out new mailers, so they’re reaching out to voters in hopes of correcting the mistake.

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Rachel Coll of the Board of Elections instructs people to fill out the mailer in full, then fold it in half and return it. She says you should not tear it along the perforation.

After a primary election day in which voters were confronted with hours-long lines, D.C. Councilmember Elissa Silverman says she’s very concerned about confronting voters with one more hurdle.

“This is a lot more of the same that we saw from the primary and just cannot afford for these kinds of mistakes and confusion to happen,” Silverman said.

Although they’re stressing that people should vote by mail, D.C. will offer residents 16 early voting centers – including Capital One Arena. The centers will be open from Oct. 27 through Nov. 2.