Local election officials are stressing that time is running out for residents to vote in Ohio’s 2020 Primary Election.
Tina LaRoche with the Union County Board of Elections stressed that there “is no in person voting for this election.”
Additionally, there is no longer an option for voters to cast a ballot at the board of elections office.
The only way to vote is absentee. Board of Elections officials said they want to remind voters that absentee ballots must be postmarked by Monday.
LaRoche said this morning that it “seems like we have a lot of outstanding ballots still.”
To cast a ballot in the primary, voters must request an absentee ballot from the county board of elections. Saturday is the final day to request that ballot.
“We must receive any requests before noon tomorrow in order to be processed,” LaRoche stressed.
Absentee Ballot Request Forms may be requested by:
– calling the board of elections office (937) 642-2836;
– e-mailing boardofelections@co.union.oh.us to ask for an absentee request form;
– downloading a blank absentee ballot request form from the board of elections website, www.co.union.oh.us
LaRoche said voters can also, “pick one up from outside of our office, or create their own,” noting that instructions are on the card residents received from the Secretary of State’s Office or on the board’s website.
On the form, voters must provide their name, birthday, signature and a form of identification — either their driver’s license number, the last four digits of their social security number or a utility bill. The voter must also indicate if they want a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or issues only ballot.
The completed form be submitted by mail to Union County Board of Elections, 835 E. Fifth St., Suite A, Marysville, Ohio 43040, but LaRoche asked last-minute requesters to “please drop off any requests in the Dropbox located in front of our office.”
The board will process the request, print a ballot for the voter and mail it out.
Upon receiving the ballot, the voter will vote, complete the necessary form, sign it and mail it to the board.
Absentee ballots must be postmarked by April 27 and must be received by May 5.
Those who have already voted absentee by mail or at the board office do not need to request another ballot or to vote again.
Legal wrangling and health department directives in the day and hours before the state’s scheduled March 17 primary election closed the polls and set June 2 as the day for in-person voting in Ohio.
On March 25, the Ohio General Assembly eliminated in-person voting for this election and set April 28 as the final day of Ohio’s primary election.
In-person voting is only available for people who require in-person voting due to a disability or who do not have an address.
Even that limited voter population must vote on April 28 and at the local Board of Elections office.
While it is too late to register to vote in the primary election, anyone who is eligible to vote, but has not yet registered, can do so for the Nov. 3 General Election, at VoteOhio.gov.