MONTGOMERY — An error that forced the reprinting of 2,917,201 general election ballots will cost the state of Alabama $459,690.80, according to Secretary of State John Merrill.

The ballot had to be reprinted to add the complete required language to the ballot in order to capture the entire statement that had been prepared in the original legislation. Once the error was discovered, Merrill immediately contacted the service provider and instructed them to stop printing the ballots. All required ballot styles had not yet been printed.

Merrill then directed his staff to make the required, corrected changes and recertify the corrected ballot language to the vendor so printing could be completed.

“Based on previous records and other information available to us, the usual approximate cost to complete the ballot design, printing, and delivery part of an election cycle is projected at $2.3 million statewide,” said a statement from Merrill’s office.

The initial ballot language was certified to the state’s election services vendor omitting two paragraphs required to provide complete information to the voters. The employee that was assigned this task no longer works for the Secretary of State’s Office.

“All other disciplinary measures and actions associated with this project are personnel matters and will not be addressed or discussed in the media,” the statement said.

Merrill sent a letter to the state comptroller requesting that all costs associated with this printing be covered by the state of Alabama to place no additional, undue burden on the counties.

The final total for the reprinting services will be paid in full by state, the statement said. The Secretary of State’s office receives no appropriation from the state.

“Through various cost savings measures, including the departure of 24 of the 48 employees on payroll since Jan. 19, 2015, cost-saving measures have produced $1,636,858.21 in line-item savings for the people of Alabama,” the statement said. “Subtracting this $459,690.80 from the savings of $1,636,858.21 means the actual realized savings are totaled at $1,177,167.41.”