The Montgomery County Board of Elections is sending new absentee ballots to more than 300 Kettering voters.
This comes after the board unintentionally mailed absentee ballots for next month’s primary with incorrect language for Kettering City School’s 5.93 mill bond issue.
"There was no miscommunication on our part," said Superintendent Melinda McCarty-Stewart. She said the district followed the proper timeline to get information to the board of elections.
In March, the school district sent information to the election board. This body created the ballot language. On March 3, the board of elections sent the ballot language to the school district.
On March 4, the school district reviewed the language with its legal team. Their legal counsel said the ballot language did not comply with the Ohio revised code 133.18 and sent it back to the election board for revision.
On March 13, the department revised the language and advised the school district it was sending the new ballot language to the Secretary of State for approval. This office did approve the school district's ballot language and sent it back down to the board of elections.
However, according to the Kettering School District, the county election board sent the earlier, incorrect ballot language to its printer. This was reflected in a batch of absentee ballots mailed to 362 Kettering voters.
"The Montgomery County Board of Elections contacted us and the Kettering Schools legal counsel informing that the absentee ballots with the Kettering school's bond issue on them had in fact been printed with the incorrect language," McCarty-Stewart said. She said she appreciates what the board of elections is doing to correct their mistake.
Montgomery County Board of Elections acknowledges this was an internal administrative error. Executive Director Jeff Rezabeck and his team have notified the impacted voters of the confusion. They also sent information telling these voters they need to fill out a new ballot that has the correct language for the Kettering City Schools bond issue. These must go to the board of election’s downtown Dayton office on West Third Street and be received by May 5 before polls close at 7:30 p.m.
"I'm concerned that people who've cast a vote, are they going to make sure they have the right information and understand how to vote again in a timely manner?" McCarty-Stewart said. "I just want to make sure the people who use the absentee ballot process are able to make sure their vote is counted."
According to the school district, if passed, the bond issue will annually generate $222 million dollars. That's a yearly cost of about $210 per $100,000 in property value.
Anyone with questions, should call the Montgomery County Board of Elections at
937-225-5656.
