Election officials urge Maryland voters to use replacement ballots after printing error

Annapolis, Md. (WJLA) — Maryland election officials are urging voters to use the replacement mail-in ballots they were sent after a printing error sent the wrong party ballots to some voters ahead of the state’s primary, prompting both reassurances and concerns about election integrity.

At ballot drop boxes in Bowie and Largo, voters trickled in this week to cast their votes, many aware of the problem and the corrective steps taken. Margaret Russell, a voter in Largo, said she followed guidance from election officials.

“There had been a lot of information given out about the problems, and that it was going to be replaced, so I shredded the old one and waited for my replacement,” Russell said. “I filled it out and brought it in today.”

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The issue stems from a mistake made by the out-of-state printer that resulted in an unknown number of Republican primary ballots being sent to Democrats and Democratic ballots being sent to Republicans. In response, the Maryland State Board of Elections mailed nearly 500,000 replacement ballots and declared all original ballots void.

However, during an emergency meeting Tuesday, the board approved a contingency plan that would allow mistakenly cast original ballots to be counted — but only if the voter’s party affiliation matches the ballot they submitted.

“We still want every voter to vote the replacement ballot, but at the end, we still want to make every voice heard and enfranchise everyone,” said Jared DeMarinis, Maryland’s state elections administrator.

DeMarinis emphasized that safeguards in the system prevent voters from casting multiple ballots or voting outside their party. He said election procedures are designed to ensure accuracy, transparency and security.

“It’s open, it’s transparent. These are longstanding protocols, safeguards in place,” DeMarinis said. “Maryland’s elections are safe and secure. They’re verified.”

RELATED: Maryland Lt. Gov. responds to ballot error saying ‘It happens almost in every election’

Still, some Republican leaders have raised concerns about the plan. State Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey said the situation could erode public confidence.

“When you get into so many different ‘what ifs,’ you’re losing trust in the system because it makes it sound like those operating the system don’t really understand the full problem,” Hershey said.

The issue has also drawn national attention, with former President Donald Trump raising concerns in a social media post about the handling of the ballots.

Election officials continue to advise voters who received two ballots to destroy the original and use only the replacement ballot with the correct return envelope. At the same time, the board says it is prepared to take additional steps to ensure valid votes are counted.

The dispute could ultimately end up in court, as critics weigh legal challenges to the board’s contingency plans.

For now, officials say the best course for voters is clear: use the replacement ballot and follow all instructions carefully to ensure their vote is counted.