Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons disclosed that approximately 2,017 absentee ballots were unintentionally left out of the county’s election‑night totals after the ballot boxes were placed on a shelf in the counting room instead of remaining on a cart. The oversight was discovered during routine cleanup on Thursday, well before the official canvass.
How the ballots were missed
The ballots in question originated from voters who cast their absentee votes on Monday, the day before Election Day. After being stored downstairs, workers alphabetized the ballots on Tuesday and moved the boxes upstairs to the absentee‑ballot processing area. “The boxes were then put on a shelf; they weren’t supposed to be put on a shelf, they were supposed to be left on a cart,” Persons explained.
Despite being misplaced, the ballots remained under lock and key, and the chain of custody was never broken. “They were put in the wrong spot, in the right room, so they were always under lock and key,” Persons said.
Audit and recount
Following the discovery, the Johnson County Auditor’s Office contacted the county attorney and the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office. The Secretary of State issued a directive that called for an audit of the entire Absentee and Special Voters Precinct. More than 26,000 absentee ballots were recounted before the Tuesday canvass, and the audit confirmed that no election outcomes were altered.
State officials emphasized that this incident demonstrates the effectiveness of Iowa’s layered election‑security system. “This is why we employ a layered approach to election security, and scenarios like this prove that our checks and balances work,” said Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate in a joint statement with Persons.
Criticism and response
Former Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert questioned how such a large discrepancy could go unnoticed, calling for Persons to resign. He noted that standard reconciliation procedures should have flagged the missing ballots. “We always had checks and balances in place to know how many ballots we have in the back room,” Weipert said. “I don’t see how something like that can happen.”
When asked for comment on the resignation request, Persons replied, “No comment.” The county board of supervisors unanimously approved the canvass on Tuesday, indicating confidence in the final certified results.
What this means for voters
The incident serves as a reminder that election night tallies are unofficial until the county and statewide canvasses are completed. Iowa’s election officials continue to monitor the situation and expect the audit to be finished by the Monday following the recount. Residents can remain assured that the safeguards in place protected the integrity of their votes.
Johnson County’s swift response and the cooperation between local and state election officials illustrate a commitment to transparency and accountability—principles that align with the values of our community and our nation’s Constitution.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
