PORTLAND, Ore. — Recent weather conditions, including rain and humidity, have led to some voters receiving ballot return envelopes that have unintentionally sealed shut due to moisture, as reported by election officials.

This phenomenon has been noted in various regions, including North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene caused significant rainfall and flooding, as well as in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Oregon. Election officials indicated that this isn’t an isolated incident; similar occurrences with moisture-sealed envelopes have been observed in previous elections.

In Clackamas County, located in the Portland metropolitan area, officials confirmed that they have received four reports of sealed envelopes out of over 320,000 ballots mailed to voters. Clackamas County Clerk Catherine McMullen acknowledged that this issue arises to some extent in every election cycle, often correlating with the prevailing weather conditions throughout Oregon. She noted that her office usually fields a small number of inquiries regarding this matter each election.

“Self-sealing envelopes can close themselves when they get wet,” McMullen explained in an email.

In Alabama, Trey Forrest, the absentee election coordinator for Jefferson County, which includes Birmingham, mentioned that some ballots mailed in mid-September experienced similar issues, although there have been no recent occurrences in the last few weeks. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Department of State also addressed concerns over humidity affecting ballot envelopes through a social media update.

For those who have received sealed return envelopes, it’s advised to reach out to their local county elections office to understand the correct procedures, as guidelines can differ significantly between various counties and states.