Apr 7, 2016 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – Greene County residents who intend to vote by absentee ballot in the April 26 primary are urged to return their ballots as soon as possible to ensure they arrive in the elections office by the April 22 deadline.

Greene County Elections Director Tina Kiger emphasized that point during a brief meeting of the elections board Thursday.

Absentee ballots were mailed to voters Thursday, a little later than normal because of several challenges on statewide ballot questions, Kiger said.

“So when people get their ballots, they need to get them back to us immediately,” she said.

The urgency in which people return their ballots is important because of the uncertainty in regard to the postal service.

Last election, the office received two ballots that came late even though they were postmarked seven days before the deadline, said Amie Nehls, elections office administrative assistant.

It also received 11 late ballots postmarked five days before the deadline and two postmarked four days before the deadline. None of the ballots could be counted.

The elections office will be open until 5 p.m. April 22 to receive ballots, but voters who bring their absentee ballots to the elections office also must do so in person, Kiger said. Applications for absentee ballots will be available until April 19.

Kiger also reported the Democratic absentee ballots include the name of Joseph Vodvarka for U.S. Senate. After the ballots were printed, however, Vodvarka was removed from the list of candidates for the position in a court challenge. A notice is being mailed with the absentee ballots explains Vodvarka is no longer a candidate, she said.

Kiger also reported logic and accuracy testing of the county’s election machines will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. April 18. The tests are conducted prior to each election.

The next meeting of the elections board will be at the request of board Chairman Blair Zimmerman.