DA: No charges after Wichita sales tax mailer with incorrect voting information

No charges will be filed after Wichita Forward sent a mailer that used the wrong information about the upcoming 1% sales tax election, according to the Sedgwick County district attorney.

The mailer incorrectly noted when mail-in ballots are due and when polls would open for the March 3 special election.

“There is no evidence of the criminal intent necessary to support criminal charges in this matter,” a news release from the DA’s office said.

The DA’s investigation into the matter found that the incorrect information on the mailer was a result of human error.

The DA’s release said a political consulting group, Cato Consulting, was hired to handle marketing for Wichita Forward. It then hired Hexcode Marketing to design the mailer.

The errors were found by Cato before the mailer was sent to the printers. However, Hexcode sent the mailer with the incorrect information to be printed.

“Hexcode Marketing sent the incorrect mailer on to be printed without taking corrective action to fix the mailer, which the company attributes to human error while attending to other tasks,” the DA’s release said.

The DA considered whether either group had knowingly and intentionally impeded in the election and concluded they had not.

Wichita Forward previously issued a statement apologizing for the errors and saying they regret “any confusion it may have caused.”

Early voting is underway at the Sedgwick County election office for the sales tax election.