Ballot snafu fixed

Voters affected by the glitch were in about a four-block area of Costa Mesa.The Orange County Registrar of Voters office accidentally mailed about 500 Costa Mesa voters absentee ballots that didn’t list Measure F, the Newport-Mesa school bond issue, but the problem was fixed by sending supplemental ballots, officials said.

It’s not clear what caused the problem, but when it was discovered this week, voting officials immediately prepared supplemental ballots that included only the missing measure. The supplemental ballots came with business reply envelopes that should get to the registrar the day after they’re mailed, acting registrar Neal Kelley said.

Measure F is a $282-million bond issue that would modernize the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s 31 campuses.

Voters affected by the glitch were in about a four-block area that includes Victoria and 19th streets, Newport Boulevard and Pomona Avenue. They represent probably fewer than 500 people in a school district of about 115,000 registered voters, Kelley said.

Registrar spokesman Brett Rowley said the voters likely received the special Measure F ballots by Thursday.

“I don’t think it’s going to have any particular impact,” said Mark Buchanan, chairman of the Measure F campaign. “They’ve stepped up and been really responsible about immediately getting out the supplemental ballots.... It’s an unfortunate glitch but they’re making the best of it and we’re not worried about it.”

Voter Sharon Williamson, who received one of the misprinted ballots, said she finds the error disturbing.

“Sometimes 500 ballots can make a difference,” she said.

“My concern is also that somebody who gets the supplemental ballot -- I’ve never had one before -- may not know what it is, may not know why they got it.”

After Tuesday’s election Kelley and his staff will conduct a routine review of all voting and mail systems to see what caused the ballot error, Kelley said.

“The important thing here is that everybody is getting a ballot for the election,” Rowley said.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or by e-mail at alicia.robinson@latimes.com.