Software error in Someren sends ballots to deceased residents

A software error in the computer system of the municipality of Someren caused voting ballots for the upcoming Cabinet elections in March to be sent to deceased residents. Some ballots of people who had recently moved were also sent to the wrong address.

In a statement on the website of the municipality, officials explain that not all deaths and relocations between November 25, 2020, and February 1, 2021, were correctly recorded in the system. “With the unfortunate consequence that ballots were sent an old address and to deceased residents. The municipality of Someren regrets that this mistake was made.”

Those that moved between November 25 and February 1 will be sent new ballots and the old ballots will be declared invalid. The municipality said they were looking into how the error could occur.

Earlier this week, the same mistake occurred in West Betuwe when 850 ballots were not distributed correctly.