It could be an election like none other, and it is now less than 100 days away. Ohio’s Secretary of State says nothing has changed, and yet, everything has, as county Boards of Election gear up for another election in the time of COVID-19.
Here’s what Secretary of State said hasn’t changed: You will be able to vote in-person on Election Day; you will be able to vote via in-person absentee ballot for four weeks before Election Day; and you will have four weeks to mail in an absentee ballot.
Here’s what has changed: expect to see a lot more cleaning and precautionary measures at the polling locations, including social distancing, a single-use stylus at each voting machine; and frequent cleaning of machines and common areas.
LaRose said he anticipates the highest ever turnout in Ohio and the highest use of absentee ballots.
“We normally have 20 to 25 percent of our ballots that come in by mail,” he said. “I’ve told the Boards of Elections to be prepared for that number to potentially double.”
LaRose said counting all those extra absentees could mean we won’t know the outcome of the election on Election Night.