As of October 21st, nearly 136-thousand Ohioans have voted early in person - a 45% increase over this point in the last mid-term election in 2018. Over 940-thousand have requested an absentee ballot by mail.
Ohio's elections chief is reminding voters those absentee ballots must be returned to the county boards of election, and cannot be processed at local precincts on Election Day. Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose tells the Associated Press a misinformation campaign from Republican election deniers that questions the security of voting machines is advising people to hold on to their paper ballots and hand them in at their precinct on Election Day. But by state law precinct workers cannot accept them. On election day, absentee ballots must be dropped off at the county board of elections. People who decide not to vote their absentee ballot can cast a provisional ballot at their precinct.
Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked Monday, November 7th, and those who are mailing in their absentee ballots are also urged to double check the postage. According to the secretary of state's office, postage for a one-page ballot is 60 cents, or 84 cents for a two-page ballot. Mail-in ballots that are postmarked November 7th will still be counted if they arrive within 10 days.
Voters can track their absentee ballot online at VoteOhio.gov/Track
