By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
ORWELL — Orwell voters will have to pay attention to their ballots today, as an error on the village charter change measure could impact election results.
The charter change, which eliminates the mayor’s position, two council seats and three board of public affairs position, was listed correctly as a charter change on the ballot and the changes are clearly outlined, Ashtabula County election board director Richard Hornstein said.
“But where voters actually place their vote, it says ‘for the levy’ or ‘against the levy,’” he said.
Hornstein said every Orwell polling place was given posters alerting voters to the error, all Orwell poll workers and judges were notified, and each ballot will come with the written correction.
“The correction will be handed to every voter in Orwell,” Hornstein said.
Orwell Mayor Larry Bottoms said he is concerned voters won’t see the correction and some might quickly scan the ballot and vote against what they think is a tax levy.
“It is certainly a concern,” Bottoms said. “The ballot does say amendment to the charter and does say what the changes are, but there is some concern that some votes may be made in error.”
Hornstein said early voters by absentee ballot can’t change their votes.
“The votes will count as they were cast,” he said. “There is no going back.”
Hornstein said he doesn’t think there will be any legal ramifications in the ballot error.
“In my 28 years, there has only been one other time something was printed wrong,” he said. “Every once in awhile something slips, but I don’t think this will be a problem.”
Charter committee member Randy Armstrong said the seven-person committee worked for nine months on the changes, and each registered voter in Orwell was sent a copy of the entire charter last month.
Bottoms said he is counting on poll workers to explain the error to voters.
“With posters at every booth and table and correction slips to every voter, hopefully this won’t impact the outcome of the charter change measure,” he said.
