PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Some voters living in areas that recently experienced rainy or humid weather have reported receiving ballot return envelopes that are already sealed shut because of moisture dampening mail, elections officials say.
The issue has been reported in parts of North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene brought heavy rains and catastrophic flooding, as well as Pennsylvania, Alabama and Oregon. Elections officials say it's not the first time this has happened and that humidity has sealed return envelopes in the past.
The elections office in Oregon's Clackamas County, home to part of Portland and its metropolitan area, said it has received four reports of self-sealed envelopes — out of more than 320,000 ballots that it sent to voters in the mail.
Clackamas County Clerk Catherine McMullen said it happens in every election to some degree, depending on the weather, in counties across Oregon. Her office typically receives a few calls about the issue every election, she said.
“As with any self-sealing envelope, when it gets wet it can self-seal,” she said in an email Thursday.
Elsewhere, Trey Forrest, the absentee election coordinator in Alabama's Jefferson County, home to Birmingham, said Thursday that some ballots mailed in mid-September were affected by the issue, but that the problem hasn't come up in the past three or four weeks. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Department of State said on the social platform X that humidity was prompting similar concerns.
Voters who have received sealed return envelopes should contact their county elections office to confirm what their next steps should be, as rules can vary across counties and states.
FILE - An election worker sorts mail-in ballots at the Multnomah County Duniway-Lovejoy Elections Building Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
BOSTON (AP) — Casey DeSmith made 25 saves, Tyler Seguin and Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists each and the Dallas Stars handed the Boston Bruins their third straight loss, 5-2 on Thursday night.
The Stars also got goals from Jason Robertson, Logan Stankoven and Roope Hintz. Mason Marchment had two assists as Dallas scored four unanswered goals after David Pastrnak gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 11:57 of the first period.
Jeremy Swayman made 27 saves for the Bruins, who cut the Stars’ lead to 4-2 on Justin Brazeau’s goal at 10:41 of the second period. Still down two goals with time winding down in the third period, Boston pulled Swayman.
Hintz supplied the finishing touch with an empty-netter with 2:02 remaining.
Stars: A Dallas team that finished with a Western Conference-best 114 points last season won four straight to begin the season before dropping two of three prior to facing Boston. Featuring the NHL’s top penalty kill unit, the Stars were successful on three of Boston’s four extra-skater opportunities.
Bruins: Pastrnak returned to the scoring column after getting held off the scoresheet and posting a combined minus-four in Boston’s previous two games.
Seguin’s second-period goal capped off the Stars’ dominance on the power play and epitomized the problems the Bruins ran into on the penalty kill.
A Bruins team that entered Thursday’s game ranked second in the NHL in penalty minutes and allowed six opponent power-play goals through seven games allowed the Stars to score three times on the man advantage over a nine-minute span in the second period.
Stars: Return home to host Chicago on Saturday before heading to Finland to play Florida twice.
Bruins: Host Toronto in the middle game of a three-game homestand on Saturday night.
This story has been updated to correct that Dallas plays one game at home before playing two in Finland.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) hits the puck past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) to score in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, front right, and Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie, back left, pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) and Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) slam into the boards in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie (39) and Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) is unable to get the puck past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) celebrates with left wing Mason Marchment, top left, and center Matt Duchene (95) after scoring in front of Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm, upper right, and left wing Cole Koepke (45) in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene (95) celebrates with teammates after scoring in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
