The Rogers County Election Board is dealing with thousands of returned letters all because of address confusion. Through out the last few years in Rogers County residents have gotten new address because of their 911 system and the election board is the last place people think to update their information. Since people haven't updated their addresses the election board is facing a challenge.
"The first time the postal lady brought in two huge trays, I was like no this is terrible," says Secretary Rogers County Election Board, Julie Dermody.
Of the more than three thousand letters returned, more than a thousand are in Claremore. Dermody says after the 2010 census they had to redistrict the area.
"We had ten polling locations change. We had to add five new precincts but we had ten polling places change because they ended up being out of district," says Dermody.
Since they have changed, getting the word out is important. Especially for people in the community.
"I do vote and I wanted to make sure that I was at the right precincts right place to vote," says Claremore resident, Charles Perry.
Perry took the time to come down to save him on frustration.
"If I show up at the other place and they are going to tell me I have to go over here or whatever it just saves a lot of steps," says Perry.
The Rogers County Election Board had to send out fifteen thousand letters already. They have to pay 44 cents per envelope and that's means they now are facing an additional thirteen hundred dollars to send these out again. Something the election board doesn't want to spend tax payers dollars on.
"It's going to get costly and we are in a were all in a crunch, government is in a crunch, as far as budgeting," says Dermody.
If you do think that you are one of the three thousand people you need to contact the Rogers County Election Board at 918-341-2965 or stop in at 415 West First Street in Claremore. They are open Monday through Friday.
