Almost 100,000 voters in Brooklyn were sent absentee ballots with the wrong names and addresses


Nearly 100,000 Brooklyn voters received absentee ballots that had the wrong names and addresses printed on the return envelopes, CNN reports.
Completed ballots in New York need to be placed inside an initial "oath" envelope — which displays the voter's name, address, and voter ID — and the oath envelope then gets placed inside a second envelope, which is mailed back to local election officials. A mistake by a third-party vendor contracted to print and mail the ballots for voters in Brooklyn and Queens, however, has led to some 99,477 voters receiving an oath envelope with the personal information of a different voter.
Michael Ryan, the election board's executive director, said that the BOE would "do everything that it needs to do ... to ensure that all of the ballots received are appropriately processed and the votes that are tallied are properly credited to the voters who have participated in the process." But the mistake still only fuels claims by President Trump and his allies, who've sought to shake confidence in what experts say is a secure and safe absentee voting process.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Ryan added that everyone who was potentially affected will receive a new ballot with an explanation of why; voters who received envelopes with the wrong name are also asked to contact the Board of Elections via Twitter, email, or by calling 1-866-868-3692 (New Yorkers can also track their ballots here). So far, a total of 520,000 absentee ballots have been sent out in the city across all boroughs, and just over a million people nationwide have cast their votes in the election.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
5 darkly funny cartoons about Israel blocking aid to Gaza
Cartoons Artists take on forcing famine, avoiding aid, and more
-
The easy elegance of Cap Ferret
The Week Recommends 'Elemental and otherworldly' destination is loved for its natural beauty
-
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: flirting with authoritarianism?
Talking Point Ukraine's president is facing first major domestic unrest since the Russian invasion, over plans to water down the country's anti-corruption agencies
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein