Plymouth voters were supposed to weigh in on an Act 46 merger vote, but the election was shut down in the early afternoon.
Jim Condos, the Secretary of State, says the town will have to hold another vote.
“This is an odd situation and one that I cannot remember happening in my time as Secretary of State,” Condos said. He has held the office since 2011.
The two individuals who were checking voters in at town meeting were also on the ballot. Someone called the Secretary of State’s office, but didn’t mention that they were calling from Plymouth.
His office explained that under state statute, “no person shall serve as an election official in any election in which his or her name appears on a ballot of the Australian ballot system as a candidate for any office unless he or she is the only candidate for that office.”
If a voter had challenged the election, a judge could overturn the results.
Condos said that his office was surprised to learn the election had been cancelled in Plymouth.
“We never told anyone in Plymouth to cancel their election,” Condos said.
The town now has to warn another vote. It will be at least 30 days before a new election can be held.