SANTA CRUZ >> Nearly 300 voters in the south county received general election ballots missing a bond measure question.

Measure R asked voters within the Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County whether or not to approve a $221 million facilities improvement bond that would be repaid through property taxes. According to a notice posted to the Santa Cruz County Elections Office website, voters at 124 addresses — representing 284 eligible registered voters around the Larkin Valley Road area — mistakenly received ballots without an option to vote on Measure R.

The cause of the Measure R absence, according to the Elections Office letter, was that addresses within the fire district were assigned to both a sorting “division” and a “district,” but they did not match up. After the error was detected, affected voters were mailed a new ballot and letter on Oct. 12 to allow them to vote for all relevant contests.The Elections Office has set its system to “void” ballots from the affected addresses, allowing officials to review each returned ballot in the relevant area. If the replacement ballot is returned, it will be processed as is.

If the original ballot is returned, elections officials will contact the voter to see whether the replacement ballot was returned. If a voter has only sent the original ballot and the voter cannot be contacted, the original ballot will be tallied.

Central Fire serves a population of about 90,500 residents in Aptos, Capitola, La Selva Beach, Live Oak, Rio Del Mar and Soquel, covering an area of 55 square miles.

Elections Official Tricia Webber can be reached at 831-454-2060 or tricia.webber@santacruzcountyca.gov.