WELLINGTON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — An incorrect insert was mistakenly mailed to 170 vote-by-mail voters in the Village of Wellington in connection with a candidate withdrawal, prompting the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections to pause additional mailings and launch what the office described as a multi-step corrective effort.
Village officials said the issue did not originate from the municipality and stressed that election administration and ballot preparation are handled by the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office under Florida law. The village said it does not oversee elections, ballot materials, or vote-by-mail mailings.
According to the Supervisor of Elections, the incorrect insert involved the withdrawal of a candidate, Paulo Santana, from the race. The insert that went out to some voters included language that should not have appeared and incorrectly stated that a vote for Lauren Brody would not count.
The Supervisor of Elections said the error was a case of human error and that there was no mal-intent, misconduct, or fraud involved. The office said it accepted full responsibility for the incorrect insert being mailed.
In a written explanation to Wellington officials, the Supervisor of Elections said its office properly drafted and sent an insert for approval indicating Santana had withdrawn, and then forwarded the correct, approved notice to the printer for production.
The problem, the elections office said, was that the printer “re-typed” the insert. Because the office had already proofread and approved what it sent to the printer, the elections office said it did not have its full proofreading team review the document that came back. A staff member reviewed the returned version but did not notice the change, the office said, adding that it would have handled the process differently if it had known the insert was re-typed.
Once the issue was identified, the Supervisor of Elections said it immediately paused the preparation of Wellington vote-by-mail ballot packets to ensure no additional voters were affected. The office said all future ballots mailed will include the correct insert.
The corrective steps outlined by the elections office include posting the correct notice online and contacting affected voters through multiple channels. The office said it planned outreach by text and/or email for affected voters for whom it has contact information, and stated it had contact information for at least 168 of the 170 voters. The office said it had received responses to its texts from at least 12 voters.
The Supervisor of Elections also said staff would contact all affected voters by phone when a phone number is on file. In the written update, the office said it had already spoken with 59 voters and left voicemail messages for approximately 50 more, and planned to continue until it reached all affected voters. The office said most voters indicated they had just received their ballot or had not yet received it.
For voters the office has not already reached through other methods, the Supervisor of Elections said it would send a first-class letter, with the mailing slated to go to the Post Office on Feb. 10, 2026.
The elections office also said it would segregate ballots received from affected voters who have not indicated their ballot is fine as-is and that they do not need a new ballot. The office said it would keep those ballots separate while continuing to contact voters to determine whether they want a replacement ballot.
If a voter requests a replacement, the Supervisor of Elections said a new ballot will be sent immediately. The office said there is still about a month before Election Day and said there is time to address the issue with each affected voter. If a voter indicates they want to replace the initial ballot with a replacement ballot, the office said the original ballot will be spoiled and not opened.
Wellington officials said they plan to continue sharing verified information as it becomes available and encouraged any voter with questions or concerns about their ballot to contact the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections directly.
