COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The state’s elections chief says more than 272,000 absentee ballots have been cast ahead of the fall election.
Ohioans can vote absentee by mail or in person before Nov. 4. Early voting began two weeks ago. Voters will choose the next governor along with other statewide officeholders.
Secretary of State Jon Husted says, of those who voted absentee, fewer than 34,000 voted in person and more than 238,000 voted by mail. His office says the figures are based on an informal survey of Ohio’s county boards of elections as of Friday.
According to the Franklin County Board of Elections, 101,074 ballots had been requested by mail at the end of the day Monday and 2, 386 voters had cast their ballots in person at the board’s office on Morse Road.
During the first nine days of the 2010 gubernatorial election in Franklin County, 144,226 requests for ballots by mail had been received and 1, 149 people had voted in person.
More than 7.7 million Ohioans were registered to vote as of Oct. 1.
There’s still time to vote early and the deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is noon Nov. 1.
Early voting for the remainder of the absentee period is scheduled for the following times:
Weekdays through Friday, Oct. 31 — 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturdays Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 — 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 2 – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 3 – 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Local polling places on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4 will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.