More than 13,500 mail-in ballots in Dorchester County won’t be included in South Carolina’s immediate election count.
A printing error reported on Tuesday night affected the scanning bars on return ballots, which are referred to as “timing marks.” The error made the black bars too small to be scanned electronically, according to the Post and Courier.
Multiple races were affected, including those for the U.S. Senate, the House, state elected officials, the sheriff’s office, and other seats. It will not prohibit votes from being counted, but it will delay the process.
“We will make sure your vote counts and is counted accurately,” said Todd Billman, the Dorchester County Election Commission executive director.
Around 15,000 ballots were sent out to Dorchester County residents, and 13,500 were returned. The county is the only one in the state that is reportedly affected by the problem.
The Associated Press projected that President Trump will win the state of South Carolina in his bid for reelection.
