The Indiana Secretary of State’s office announced last week that voters may submit applications for absentee ballots that were previously deemed defective.

The Indiana Democratic Party contacted Secretary of State Connie Lawson’s office Friday to inform the state it did not mail out the latest form for the applications.

In a news release, the office estimated hundreds of thousands of applications were thought to be in circulation, prompting the office and the Indiana Election Division to approve the forms.

“I am committed to resolving this matter as quickly as possible to avoid voter disenfranchisement,” Lawson said in the release. “I want to ensure all Hoosiers have their voice heard this election.”

At least 51 of the applications were sent to voters in Jackson County, Clerk Amanda Lowery said Monday, and more are expected, but voters should proceed and turn them in to get their absentee ballots.

Lowery said the form mailed by the state party did not include an instruction box at the top, which was approved for the 2018 version.

The Jackson County Election Board discussed the matter after testing the county’s voting machines last week, Lowery said. The board began finalizing a letter explaining the issue with a correct application when Lawson’s office announced the state would accept them.

The local election board has jurisdiction over the issue.

Lowery said the decision was the right one to make.

“I think she made the right decision making sure that form was accepted,” she said. “We’re in the business of providing everyone the opportunity to vote. We’re just processing them the same as the others now.”

Lowery said she had not been told exactly how the Indiana Democratic Party sent out the wrong application.

“It seems like every time there is an election cycle, some form gets updated, so the election division provides us with a disc of correct forms to use,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this happen.”

The forms also are available online.

Voters may check the status of their applications, ballot and registration by logging onto indianavoters.com.

Voters with questions can call the Hoosier Voter Hotline at 866-IN-1-VOTE or Lowery’s office at 812-358-6116.

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Voters may check the status of their applications, ballot and registration by logging onto indianavoters.com.

Voters with questions can call the Hoosier Voter Hotline at 866-IN-1-VOTE or the Jackson County Clerk’s Office at 812-358-6116.

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