Ohio gearing up for A COVID-19-safe November election

OHIO — Ohio’s November election plan, heavily influenced by COVID-19, is designed to protect people from the virus and likewise protect their right to vote during the pandemic.

 A directive to county boards of elections from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose urges advance planning to deal with health concerns.

They include the need for new polling locations since nursing homes will not be able to host a voting site and some schools may be reluctant to accommodate voters as well.

LaRose said special precautions will be taken at each polling place.

“We will be providing personal protective equipment (to poll workers), there are going to be stricter standards on how polling locations are going to be maintained as far as social distancing is concerned, spacing the machines out, wiping down the equipment and using hand sanitizer,” LaRose said.

LaRose’s formal directive to county boards, issued Monday, also calls for limited curbside voting. It will be allowed for people who cannot physically enter a polling place or who do not feel comfortable going inside to vote.

More voters became experienced with mail-in balloting when the March primary election was delayed at the beginning of the coronavirus emergency and all ballots that were not cast in early voting had to be sent in by mail.

LaRose is predicting the number of people voting by mail in November may double the normal rate. To enable more people to take advantage of that opportunity, the state will send people the paperwork necessary to do that.

“We are sending out an absentee ballot request to all 7.8 million registered voters in the state. That’s a project we have been working on for several weeks now,” Larose said.

What will November 2020 be like?

Beyond the predicted higher than normal mail-in balloting, LaRose expects another record turnout this year and he is urging local boards to be ready for it.

“We have seen a trend. 2016 was the highest turnout in Ohio election history, bar none. 2018 was the highest turnout in a gubernatorial election in our state’s history. And I see no reason why that trend will not continue in 2020.” LaRose said.

© 2020 Cox Media Group