Election officials in Fresno County, California, have identified an error affecting some ballots used at vote centers, according to the Fresno County Elections Department. The issue specifically impacts the Fresno Unified School District trustee race when voters use electronic ballot-marking machines.
When voters mark their selections for the Fresno Unified School District race using these machines, the printed ballot incorrectly identifies the contest as belonging to the Fowler Unified School District. However, Fresno County Registrar of Voters James A. Kus assured voters that this printing mistake will not affect how their ballots are counted. Votes cast for the Fresno Unified School District Trustee race will still be recorded for that specific contest, and all other races on the ballot will remain unaffected.
To inform voters about the error, notices will be placed on the ballot-marking devices at every vote center. Voters who prefer not to use the machines can request a ballot printed on-site. The error does not appear on mail-in ballots or ballots that are printed on demand. Kus apologized for the error and encouraged anyone with questions to contact the Fresno County Elections Department.
Meanwhile, a separate legal battle is underway in California concerning up to 20,000 ballots. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and Attorney General Todd Blanche had sought to require election officials to set aside these ballots and verify voters' citizenship before counting them. A federal judge, however, rejected this request, stating it would cause significant disruption to the midterm elections.