Blount Co. resident expresses concern about absentee voting issue

BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) – With 12 days left until the presidential election, concerns are increasing about counting every vote.

Blount County resident Sondra Couey said she experienced an issue with her ballot that concerned her.

Couey, who did not vote for the first time, received a ballot with a sealed return envelope, rendering it unusable. After speaking with Blount County election officials, she learned others were having the same problem.

“This is my ballot and you’re supposed to put the secrecy envelope together here, but it’s stuck all the way through,” Couey explained.

He believes the envelope may have been exposed to moisture, causing it to close prematurely.

Couey reached out to Blount County election officials, who confirmed that other voters had reported similar problems.

“He was very willing to tell me that they were having a lot more trouble with this than I was. It was like, ‘Oh, we’ve had this problem before,'” Couey said.

Blount County election officials acknowledged the problem but are unsure of the cause. They reassure voters that as long as the ballot is not damaged, they can open the envelope and reseal it with tape or go to the courthouse to get a new one.

But Couey is still worried. “I’m already very worried about the ballots being sent by post and being told ‘just tape them and we’ll put them on the voting rolls for you’.’ “I don’t feel comfortable about this at all,” he shared.

Couey, who is recovering from surgery, chose to vote by absentee ballot to avoid having to visit the polling place in person.

“I didn’t expect to have to go to the polls because I had to be in the hospital,” Couey added. Fortunately, his condition is improving and he will be able to drop off his ballot in person before Election Day.

“This is such a critical choice that you can’t be careful enough,” he emphasized.

We reached out to the Alabama Secretary of State’s office and a spokesperson stated that they were not aware of this issue but recommended that voters encountering similar issues contact their county election director for assistance.

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