TROY — Today is the first day of in-person early voting for Ohio’s primary election on May 5.
News Center 7’s John Bedell spent part of his day in Miami County looking at some of the races and issues voters will see, and discovered a big change affecting voters in that community.
Christina Panagouleas-Stephens, who is Deputy Director of Miami County Board of Elections, said, “We had a big rush this morning of maybe 10 voters, but since then it’s been pretty slow.”
The Miami County Board of Elections told News Center 7 they heard about a similar turnout so far from other boards of elections in the Miami Valley.
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In Ohio, every statewide executive office is on the ballot for the May 5 Primary, including the governor and attorney general.
Election officials said an even-year primary like this usually has higher voter turnout than odd-year primaries.
However, they say a governor’s race tends to bring more voters out for the general election in November, not necessarily for the gubernatorial primary. But there is a county-wide issue on the May ballot in Miami County that the board of elections believes will drive high turnout.
Miami County Board of Elections Director Laura Bruns said, “We have a county-wide sales tax for the construction of a new jail. A half percent sales tax for all sales in Miami County.”
Voters need to know about a change to absentee voting that has been implemented for the first time for the May 5 Primary. Whether you return an absentee ballot in person or by mail, it must be at your county board of elections office by 7:30 p.m. on election night.
“We used to have a four-day grace period after Election Day that has gone away now with legislation that was passed last year,” Bruns said.
If you’re registered to vote, you can go to your county board of elections Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., over the next three weeks to cast your ballot. Then, there are expanded hours in the final week before the May 5 Primary Election.
Early in-person voting ends on May 3. Here is a link to Ohio’s voting schedule.
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