Due to a mistake made by a third-party vendor, an error was printed on absentee ballot application forms for thousands of Dawson County voters, local election officials say.

According to Dawson County Board of Election and Registration Director Glenda Ferguson, an incorrect email address was printed on the application forms for local voters, causing forms to be sent to Decatur County election offices in southwest Georgia, rather than local offices in Dawsonville.

But despite this mix-up, Ferguson said that her staff is working hand in hand with Decatur County to make sure they receive any applications from local voters.

“Decatur County is forwarding each one as they get them, so we are receiving them,” she said. “It was simply a human error. It is one that’s regretful, but it is not one that is preventing the voter from getting their application to the right place.”

Ferguson said that local residents should be assured that even though forms were sent to the wrong location, they have only been handled by election officials. This error will not affect ballots for the June 9 election.

For voters that have not yet received an application, Ferguson says that they are still in the process of being sent out, but if you’re concerned about not having received one yet you can request one by emailing bpayne@dawsoncounty.org.

This week state officials announced that the presidential preference primary originally scheduled for March 24, would be postponed for a second time due to COVID-19 and will be held on June 9. The general primary planned for May 19 will be held the same day.

For those who voted early in March, you will not vote on those items again in June, but there are several more races on the ballot.

The June general primary includes races for several county, state and federal government positions, including two seats on the Dawson County Board of Commissioners, the Georgia State House 9th District seat and the office of Dawson County Sheriff.