Thursday’s Sun revelation that 705 mail-in ballots were not included in the original Lowell tally serves as yet another reminder of former Elections Director Greg Pappas’ warnings that the cumbersome process and growing volume of votes submitted in that manner was going to become a problem, and already had.

Pappas originally offered the analysis as part of a different discussion about a potential special election to replace a departing City Councilor. Those potential red flags were largely ignored over the body’s internal political battle that night, but the discussion and subsequent media discussions were enough to prompt City Councilor Wayne Jenness to file a motion requesting information on the city’s readiness for the September 3 and November 5 elections.

Imagine the fallout if those ballots happened to come from the 18th Middlesex District. The imagine if they happened to alter the results of that race. Do you think one side or the other would be crying foul?

Perhaps now folks won’t be so quick to dismiss the warnings of someone with three decades of elections experience and will work to take corrective measures, whatever you believe those measures may be. (I certainly have my ideas, but those are for another column)

But if you originally thought the now retired elections official’s warnings were “Chicken Little” rantings, perhaps you might want to reconsider.

In the meantime, here’s a link to the podcast interview with Pappas, where he goes into even more detail on the potential issues posed by the high volume of mail in votes and the strain it puts on both the U.S. Post Office and elections officials here and throughout the country. It’s worth a listen!