Original mail-in ballots may be counted if replacement not returned, state elections administrator says 

Vendor error potentially impacted more than 447K voters statewide; officials still encourage use of replacement ballot 

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June 1, 2026 11:56 a.m.

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Following a vendor error that potentially impacted ballots sent to more than 447,000 voters across Maryland, state elections officials announced a plan Thursday to ensure people who do not return a replacement ballot still have their votes counted in the June 23 primary election. 

The vendor error, which impacted ballots mailed before May 14, resulted in some voters receiving the wrong party ballot. The State Board of Elections ordered replacement ballots for all potentially impacted voters.  

Initially, state elections officials said all potentially impacted ballots had been voided and instructed impacted people to vote and return the replacement ballot once they receive it. 

But during Thursday’s state elections board meeting, State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis said the plan had changed slightly. 

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When local elections boards receive a mail-in ballot from the original round of mailings, they will sequester it, DeMarinis said. The voter will receive an additional post card in the mail stating that the original ballot has been received and encouraging the voter to return the replacement ballot instead. 

If the voter returns the replacement ballot, that will be counted instead of the original ballot, DeMarinis said.  

If the voter does not return the replacement ballot, their original ballot will be counted after elections officials verify the voter did not vote through another method and that the original ballot matches the voter’s party affiliation. 

“We want everyone to vote the replacement ballot,” DeMarinis said during Thursday’s meeting. “But I can say this publicly here, at the end of the day if all we receive back is one ballot we will count that ballot if it’s the correct ballot.” 

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In a Thursday statement, the Montgomery County Board of Elections said replacement ballots were sent to affected county voters on Tuesday. DeMarinis on Thursday said voters across the state can expect to receive their replacement ballots by Monday. 

According to the county elections board, people who only return the original mail-in ballot will have their votes counted later than those who return the replacement ballot.  

“By voting the replacement ballot, you can ensure that you’re voting the correct party ballot and have it marked “received” and all of your choices counted in the normal course,” the county board said. 

Original mail-in ballots will only be marked “received” and counted after the deadline for receiving mail-in ballots, which is at 10 a.m. July 6. 

People who are unsure of their party affiliation can check it using the state’s Voter Lookup tool. For more information about when and how to vote, see Bethesda Today’s 2026 Primary Election Voters Guide. 

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine