COLUMBUS – Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday signed Ohio’s first major legislative response to the pandemic, which eliminates testing for students and restarts the state’s postponed primary election.
The Ohio Department of Health call center is open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to answer questions regarding COVID-19 at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
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Ohio Department of Health coronavirus website
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Under the new primary election scenario, the standard in-person primary is off and voters who haven’t cast ballots yet must ask for an absentee ballot by mail or phone by noon on April 25.
With the Governor’s signature today, we are counting down to April 28th.
Find your absentee ballot request form and info about how to vote by mail at https://t.co/TI8p9cWMau pic.twitter.com/DqUOQ734wl
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) March 27, 2020
Ballots must be returned by April 27 if they’re mailed or be deposited at a curbside dropbox on Election Day, which has been scheduled for April 28.
Those voters with disabilities or those without home mailing addresses will be allowed to vote in person on April 28.
One congressional candidate calls it “unexpected overtime in a game that’s never had overtime before.”
Political campaigns in Ohio and other states have been switching gears or in limbo awaiting decisions on voting plans after elections were postponed because of the outbreak.
Candidates lacking cash and prohibited from rallying supporters at mass gatherings have been forced to turn to phone banks or online digital forums.
The bill waives state testing requirements for K-12 students this school year, allowing students to graduate who were already on track to do so and schools to use distance learning to make up for missed days or hours of instruction caused by statewide school closures.
Groups representing the state’s school officials spoke out in favor of the measure.
“We strongly support the bill’s changes aimed at easing the challenges for public school districts and their students during the coronavirus outbreak,” the heads of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, Ohio Association of School Business Officials and the Ohio School Boards Association said in a joint statement issued after the signing.
The bill also extends the income tax deadline to July 15, extends professional licenses for those who cannot get them renewed, allows local governments to hold public meetings remotely and with transparency to conform with the state’s open-meetings law and provides funding for small businesses, such as day cares and services for the disabled.
“Ohioans look to the leadership of their elected officials, and these leaders continue to do their best to protect the health and safety of our citizens while balancing not doing such damage to the economy that we can not recover,” said Roger Geiger, vice president and executive director for the National Federation of Independent Business in Ohio.
UPDATE 3/28/20 3:00 p.m.: There are currently 1,406 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ohio and 25 deaths.
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DeWine announced that the state is launching a website to encourage Ohioans to continue to support local retailers and restaurants by shopping online, choosing local, ordering carryout from restaurants, and taking virtual tours of well-known attractions around the state. There are currently more than 250 local restaurants, shops, and virtual activities being featured on the site.