Idea of June 2 election day has been eliminated
Local elections officials want to clear up confusion about Ohio’s 2020 Primary Election.
“It is very confusing,” said Tina LaRoche, with the Union County Board of Elections.
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 passed legislation aimed at dealing with the state’s response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Among other items, the bill eliminated in-person voting for this election and set April 28, 2020 as the final day of Ohio’s primary election.
“You can only vote by mail now,” LaRoche said. “The June 2 option is gone.”
She explained that 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.
To cast a ballot in the primary, voters must request an absentee ballot from the county board of elections.
Absentee Ballot Request Forms may be requested by calling the board of elections office (937) 642-2836; emailing boardofelections@co.union.oh.us to ask for an absentee request form; or downloading a blank absentee ballot request form from the board of elections website, www.co.union.oh.us.
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.
“But they need to know if they choose issues only, depending where they live, there may not be any issues,” LaRoche said.
Once the form is completed, it may be submitted by mail to Union County Board of Elections, 835 E. Fifth St., Suite A, Marysville, Ohio 43040, or by using the using the drop box located outside the 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.
The last day to request a ballot is Saturday, April 25.
Absentee ballots must be postmarked by April 27 and must be received by May 5.
Officials said more than 4,000 voters cast ballots before the March 17 date. They said those that have already voted do not need to worry.
“If they have already voted in the primary election, they do not have to request another ballot,” said Brandon Clay with the Union County Board of Elections. “Their ballot is secure and will count.”
Officials said that while the deadline to vote has been extended, the deadline to register has not. The deadline to register for the 2020 primary election was Feb. 18, 2020. Anyone who is eligible to vote, but has not yet registered, can do so for the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election, at VoteOhio.gov.
Clay said the board office has “been very busy” with absentee ballot requests. Officials said their job has been complicated by the changes, the confusion and the fact that the office is closed to the public.
“It has been a little bit trying, trying to figure things out and just waiting,” LaRoche said. “This is just unprecedented and has been so up in the air.”
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said he preferred the option that allowed for in-person voting, but added, “Though I advocated for a different plan, the legislature has spoken, and I will uphold my oath of office by doing everything in my power over the next 34 days to ensure that every Ohio voter has the opportunity to safely make their voice heard.”