An election worker in Miami-Dade County was fired after a ballot box and bag fell out of an unlocked truck on Monday night, causing a brief security scare. The incident took place following early voting at the South Dade Regional Library, when the worker failed to secure the truck’s rear door.
Christina White, the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections, called the mistake a “human error” but stressed the department’s “zero tolerance” for mishandling ballots. White noted that the worker was distressed by the error, which could have posed a risk to ballot security.
NEW: Miami-Dade County terminates elections employee after box of ballots found on the side of the road pic.twitter.com/VTTwO9OHzo
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Thankfully, local residents noticed the ballot materials on the road and quickly reported them to police. White praised these “upstanding citizens” for their quick response, which helped prevent any potential tampering or loss of ballots.
An inspection confirmed that the ballot bin and bag had their seals intact and showed no signs of interference. White assured voters that the ballots inside had already been counted and recorded, so the incident did not impact election results.
The sealed bag contained a provisional ballot, which will go through the standard review process to confirm its eligibility. Miami-Dade election officials have since reviewed security procedures with all staff members.
The department has reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining voter confidence, reminding all workers of the importance of ballot security at every stage of the election process.
