Mail-in ballots botched in Willacy County

Elections officials mailed botched ballots to 68 Willacy County voters who requested mail-in ballots to vote in the March 1 Democratic primary election. The Democratic Party’s ballot contains incorrect candidate listings for the state House of Representatives District 37 race. On the ballot, the names of District 38’s candidates appear as District 37 candidates, Rose Clouston, the Democratic Party’s primary administrator in Austin, said. Republican Party ballots weren’t affected, Wolf Chapa, the Willacy County Republican Party chairman, said. By Wednesday afternoon, the 68 voters who were mailed botched ballots are expected to receive corrected ballots, Joe Vasquez, the county election’s office assistant, said. Voters who have already mailed their ballots should mail their corrected ballots, Clouston said.

On Monday, state and local officials were trying to determine the source of the problem. By Monday afternoon, Sam Taylor, the Secretary of State’s office spokesman, said the Democratic Party chairs sent incorrect ballot information that appeared on Willacy County’s Democratic Party ballots. “It’s the state and local party chairs that upload that information into our website portal,” he said. “The county party chair is the one who certifies the ballot order. It seems there was just a mistake.” Meanwhile, Irene Cavazos, the Willacy County Democratic Party’s chairwoman, said she sent correct ballot information to the Secretary of State’s Office. “The names were entered correctly,” she said. “I input them correctly. (The Secretary of State’s Office) received them correctly.” However, she said she didn’t certify the ballot. “I never approved a ballot order,” she said. Instead, Clouston said she helped Cavazos with the ballot.