Mailed sample ballots delayed temporarily in Duval County

It's an issue that led some of you to contact our newsroom.

We've since learned from the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office that not everyone received their sample ballots in the mail before early voting began last Monday.

In an emailed statement, Duval Supervisor of Elections Mike Hogan tells WOKV News that everyone should have received their sample ballot in the mail by last Friday, according to his conversations with the United States Postal Service.

"[Hurricane Matthew] caused us to lose some days due to being closed," Hogan added. "The court-ordered registration deadline extension [also] contributed to our miss."

Hogan also noted in the email that "no one is more disappointed that the sample ballots were late than my whole team" and that he wasn't going to make excuses for it.

"Although there were several factors beyond our control, I never like excuses," Hogan stated. "I will simply say it happened on my watch. I am at fault."

Normally, the sample ballots in Duval are mailed out the week before early voting begins.

Because of the problems with getting some voters their sample ballot in the mail on time, Hogan said he made sure a "super" sample ballot was published in a newspaper earlier this month and that 45,000 "super" sample ballot copies were made available at all early voting precincts in the county.

A "super" sample ballot refers to a ballot which has all issues being voted on in that election on it. Not every voter will vote on every issue based on where they live. That's why the sample ballot that's mailed to people's homes has only the issues they will be voting on.

Hogan's office also posted a link on their Facebook page directing voters on where to go to get their sample ballot online.