Union County elections officials are saying turnout for Tuesday’s primary election was higher than anticipated.
According to information from the Union County Board of Elections, 12,424 of Union County’s 45,778 registered voters, 27.14%, voted in the primary election.
“It was a higher turnout than we expected so that’s exciting,” said Brandon Clay, director of the Union County Board of Elections.
Deputy Director Michelle Forrider said there were multiple 17-year-olds that voted in the primary. Under Ohio law, 17-year-olds that will be 18 before the General Election are permitted to vote for partisan candidates, but not issues.
“That’s pretty cool to see,” said Forrider.
Clay said several of the teens had parents with them who were surprised to learn their children could vote. Forrider and Clay said officials made presentations at most of the high schools in the state offering voting information.
Forrider said that even though the presidential primaries were not truly contested, “there were a couple contested elections on the Republican ticket that drew interest.”
Of the county total, 82.52% of the ballots cast were Republican, 14.65% were Democratic and 2.83% were issues only.
The board of elections said 4,303 votes, almost 35% of the total votes, were cast early.
“I think it is trending to be more popular,” Forrider said of early voting. “More and more people are going to early voting because it is more convenient.”
She said COVID has conditioned people to do things when they can because things can change quickly.
“So early voting lets people vote when they have a chance and know they have voted so if something happens and they are sick or busy on Election Day, they still got to vote.”
Forrider and Clay said Election Day went very smoothly. Forrider said there were some “minor things that happen every election” specifically mentioning a printer that did not work for a time.
Officials said Union County has 76 provisional ballots. The board will determine which of the ballots are valid and should be counted and those that need thrown out for a variety of reasons. Valid ballots will be counted as part of the county’s official canvass on April 1.
Forrider said there are also 81 absentee ballots that could still be returned. To be counted, absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than the day before Election Day and received by the board of elections no later than four days after the election.
Clay and Forrider said Wednesday was spent filling official forms and submitting results to the Ohio Secretary of State and gathering results from neighboring counties with voters that impact elections in Union County.
“So we will be busy getting doing that, working to validate provisional ballots, getting ready for the official canvass,” Clay said.
Part of preparing for the official canvass will be looking at the number of provisional and absentee ballots remaining that could impact the Marysville Public Library levy. Officials said there are 84 ballots outstanding for the Marysville library — 44 provisional and 50 absentee.
Currently the library levy is failing by 48 votes and is not close enough for an automatic recount, but that could be impacted by the ballots yet to be counted.
“I think that is the only election that could get pushed into recount territory,” Forrider said.
Officials said they are also beginning to think about the November General Election.
To vote in the Nov. 5 election, residents must be registered to vote by the end of the day Oct. 7. That day, the board of elections will be open until 9 p.m.
Hopeful voters are invited to download and complete a voter registration form from the county Board of Elections website and return to the Board of Elections office, 835 East 5th St.; Suite A; Marysville, OH 43040, in person or by mail.
Early voting, in person and by mail, will begin Oct. 8. The Union County Board of Elections office, 835 E. Fifth St., Marysville, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first three weeks.
Those with questions about the election or the elections process or who want to serve as a poll worker may contact the Board of Elections office by phone at (937) 642-2836 or by emailing boardofelections@unioncountyohio.gov.