1,666 Primary Ballots Discovered In Bin, Counted In Sussex Co.

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ - Last week more than 1,600 ballots from the July primary election were found and counted late, according to Sussex County Board of Elections Martha McCabe.

The new tallies did not impact the outcome of the election, McCabe said.

On Sept. 10, the Sussex County Board of Elections discovered box containing 1,666 ballots was found in a "secure area" at the Board of Elections office, McCabe said.

The Board investigated the matter and determined that the 1,666 ballots had been placed in a bin that was mislabeled, McCabe said.

The Board consulted with counsel, notified the New Jersey State Attorney General’s office and upon their direction, counted the votes cast on Sept. 12. The Board provided the results of the count later the same day to the Sussex County Clerk’s office for certification, McCabe said.

McCabe said the Board of Elections is confident that all ballots received have been processed
and the security of all the ballots has remained in place.

The revised, final results of the primary election are to be posted on the Sussex County Clerk’s website at https://sussexcountyclerk.org/.

The revised count did not change the outcome of any Sussex County primary election in any race for any office, Republican or Democrat, McCabe said.

There is no word on how the ballots were mislabeled and what safeguards are being put in place to avoid that mistake in upcoming Nov. 3 election.

Since the change to this year's election was announced by Murphy, there have been many questions about how the process will work. Below is some further reading on the Nov. 3 election process:

• Here's How NJ's Mail-In General Election Will Work: What To Know

A primarily vote-by-mail election means a lot of changes to election day. See what you can expect this November.

• What's A NJ Provisional Ballot? How Does It Work? Patch Found Out

Those not needing an ADA compliant booth will need a provisional ballot to vote in-person. Here is what that will look like.

• How Are Election Signatures Verified In NJ? Patch Found Out

Voters wondering how their signatures are checked before the upcoming election can see the process for themselves.

• How To Register, Track Your General Election Vote Online In NJ

Need to register for the upcoming election? Want to track your vote once you do? Read on to learn how.

• Key 2020 Voting Deadlines In New Jersey

Here is a recap of important dates to remember with upcoming election, all in one place.

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