Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Double ballot mailings are the latest snafu for Boston elections
"These incidents were isolated to ballots mailed on one particular day and due to a clerical error."
After ballot shortages plagued last year’s election, the upcoming Boston mayoral preliminary election has already been marred by clerical errors, election officials said.
At least one voter received more than one mail-in ballot for the upcoming municipal preliminary election, said a spokesperson for William Galvin, the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Boston voters will be deciding between candidates for mayor and city councilors.
Last year, Galvin ordered an overhaul of the Boston Election Commission after an investigation found it failed to provide enough ballots to polling places and exhibited serious communications issues during last November’s election. Galvin then appointed a designee to oversee the mayoral election process through the end of 2026; the order could potentially be extended.
Advertisement:
Galvin’s office received one complaint from a voter for receiving more than one ballot, Debra O’Malley, the spokesperson for Galvin’s office, said. At the secretary’s request, the Boston Election Department audited their records to determine the extent of the “clerical error,” O’Malley said.
“The clerical error appears to be isolated to a small number of ballots packaged on July 29,” O’Malley said.
The Boston Elections Department confirmed it is “aware of a limited number of instances in which a voter may have received more than one ballot. These incidents were isolated to ballots mailed on one particular day and due to a clerical error.”
Advertisement:
Voters, however, will be unable to cast two ballots, O’Malley said, which the city echoed. When a mail-in ballot is returned and accepted, that voter will be marked on the voter list as having voted.
“Only one ballot per voter will be counted,” O’Malley said. “Were a second ballot to be returned, that ballot would be rejected immediately. Further, all mail-in ballots must be checked against the voter list again before they can be opened and counted.”
Mayor, at-large city councilor, District 7 among contested Boston races this year
Aug. 30 is the deadline to register to vote in the preliminary municipal election, and early voting takes place between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, except Labor Day. Actual voting day is Sept. 9.
After the preliminary vote, the top two mayoral candidates, the top two per district city councilor candidates, and the top eight for the at-large ballot will proceed to the general election on Nov. 4.
Josh Kraft, the top challenger to Mayor Michelle Wu, did not return a request for comment, but told the Boston Herald that he has “serious concerns about the city’s ability to manage anything related to the election” and said there might be a need for “even more oversight by the secretary of state.”
Advertisement:
Most of the current district city councilors are running for their own seats, except for former District 7 City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who pleaded guilty to two federal charges and resigned. It’s a crowded field to succeed her.
There will be no preliminary election for District 3, 6, 8, and 9, according to the city.
All four incumbent at-large city councilors are running to return to their roles, with former City Councilor Frank Baker joining them.
Wu’s campaign declined to comment and referred to her office, which shared a statement from the Boston Elections Department.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com