SAN ANTONIO — Dorian Olsen, who lives in Helotes, sent in her mail-in ballot for the 2024 election weeks ago. She was baffled when an additional ballot showed up in her mailbox.
“I was totally confused,” Olsen said, speaking with KENS 5 initially on Tuesday. “I thought, 'Well, maybe I messed up on the first one or something. I opened it, and it was a blank ballot that was identical to the first one.”
Olsen said she called the Bexar County Elections Department and was advised to tear up the second ballot. She was still left wondering why her ballot was classified cancelled, according to VoteTexas.gov.
Olsen reached out the political party she aligns with and city officials, stressing she was worried her vote may not be counted.
“I have been registered to vote since I was 21 years old and have never missed an election,” Olsen said.
KENS 5 reached out to the Bexar County Elections Department for answers. Officials then reached out to Olsen on Wednesday with some promising news regarding the mail-in ballot situation.
Olsen said she was told her first ballot was cancelled because the word “Lake” on her address was abbreviated as “Lk.”
As for the second ballot she received, that was meant to be a replacement ballot for the first one that had the abbreviated address.
“To me, it’s an easy fix: Just put a notification inside the ballot why you’re receiving it,” Olsen said.
The Bexar County Elections Department is currently processing thousands of voter registration applications, which are processed and then sent daily to the Secretary of State in Austin for verification of voters.
The Bexar County Elections Department was unable to commit to an interview on Wednesday to discuss Olsen’s situation. Officials did provide a statement, which reads as follows:
“During the voter registration time period, in which applications had to be postmarked by October 7th, numerous applications were mailed to voters by organizations other than Bexar County Elections. Candidates, voting organizations party chiefs, etc., can mail these applications, to prospective voters. Thus, it’s possible voters receive several voter registration applications.
"Simultaneously, the Department is daily receiving thousands of mail-in ballots from the USPS, which are processed by BCED and checked against the voter registration database. When ballots are received, we check the ballot against the voter’s registration record to ensure that ballot is valid. One voter, one vote. Only one is accepted.”
Officials confirmed the address issue as the reason for the cancellation of Olsen’s first ballot, leading to the mailing out of the replacement ballot that she ripped up.
Elections officials mailed out a second replacement ballot, which Olsen hopes to receive on Thursday.
“I’m cautiously optimistic," she said. "I’m convinced I will receive the ballot."
Early voting runs through Nov. 1. To learn more, go here.