COLUMBUS – In the face of closings and restrictions on crowds in public places, Ohioans are still being urged to find a way to cast their ballots in the state’s presidential primary on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, elections officials have put out a call for residents to volunteer as poll workers to replace older workers who are shying away from voting locations because of fears surrounding the disease. As of Friday Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose reported that 1,551 people had responded to his office’s call for poll workers and local election boards had fielded additional offers.
LaRose has urged Ohioans to take advantage of early voting opportunities available in person and by mail.
Early in-person voting continues: Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Monday 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
For Ohioans voting by mail, ballots must be postmarked by Monday and LaRose has ordered county boards to provide bipartisan teams to accept curbside absentee ballot drop-off at the county boards of elections on election day during voting hours.
LaRose and his counterparts in Arizona, Florida and Illinois which are also holding primaries on Tuesday, isssued as statement vowing that voting in their states would be safe.
Unlike concerts, sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration.
Further, guidance from voting machine manufacturers on how best to sanitize machines, guidance from CDC on best practices for hand washing, and guidance from our respective state health officials is being provided to every polling location. -statement from Secretaries of State in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio
Dozens of polling places inside nursing homes in 35 Ohio counties, including Franklin, are being relocated to protect elderly residents who are at high risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus.
Stark County ordered more than 118,000 Q-tips to allow voters to tap their selections with them.
Only Louisiana was poised to postpone its primary, which was scheduled for early April.