Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Process For How Ohioans Vote In November Could Change

Ohio Public Radio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just under 25 percent of Ohio's registered voterscast ballots in Tuesday's primary election, which was postponed from March due to coronavirus concerns. 

There are now calls for change to make it easier to vote in November. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.

 

 

Health experts say coronavirus will likely still be a concern in November. That means distance spacing and sanitizing will continue to be important. Secretary of State Frank LaRose says that’s why if the state moves to a mail in balloting system, he wants some changes.

 

I want to see us start picking up the tab on those return ballot postage – make that a postage paid envelope for every Ohioan in every election and I want to be  able to send out those absentee ballot requests to absolutely every Ohioan for November as well.”

 

LaRose also supports a bill that would allow voters to request absentee ballots online. 

 

Jen Miller with the Ohio League of Women Voters thinks mail in voting will probably be necessary this fall. She wants Ohio to adopt practices used in some other states that primarily have mail in elections. She wants to bypass those absentee ballot requests altogether and wants more ways for them to be returned.

 

That includes sending ballots to all voters. That includes having drop boxes or vote centers throughout the counties.”

 

Miller is also calling for a task force that can move quickly and make important decisions about conducting elections should the state face an emergency near Election Day. Of course, those changes would require approval by Ohio lawmakers. And they would have to move swiftly to make them in time for the November election. 

 

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content