Jason Baker, Clark County Board of Elections director, said the board is seeing an average of around 800 early voters per day. He said that is slower than 2020 early voting, but added that is a complicated comparison, given different people’s approaches to COVID-19 safety measures at that point.
Baker said early in-person voters should not expect to wait in line for longer than 10 minutes or so, based on current trends. The board of elections was recently renovated to streamline the early voting process, and Baker said the new configuration is working well.
The director has served three presidential elections in Clark County, with each seeing near or over a 70% turnout rate. He said he expects to see around that number or a percent or two higher.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Chris Creamer, Champaign County Board of Elections deputy director, said the county is seeing 300 or more voters most days, and voting has gone smoothly so far.
Creamer said turnout in 2020 was above 20,000 voters, and with just above 27,000 registered voters, he said he expects a lot of total voters to vote early with current trends.
“The interest is definitely still there; I don’t think anybody’s dropped off,” Creamer said.
Nether Clark nor Champaign counties expect any issues with finding enough poll workers.
Voters must present a valid photo ID, which can include driver’s licenses, state IDs, passports, interim IDs, military or VA IDs, Creamer said. He said poll workers are trained to ensure IDs with non-citizen markers are backed up with other documentation confirming a potential voter is a citizen. If citizenship cannot be confirmed, the person cannot vote, per Ohio law.
Voters should remember that no campaign gear is permitted within 100 feet of a polling location, so things like shirts and hats should be covered or removed before arriving to a polling location, Creamer said.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Those wanting to vote by mail should fill out an absentee ballot application. That application can be dropped off at or mailed to the local county board of elections office. This application form must be received by the seventh day before Election Day; during this election, that would be Tuesday Oct. 29, by 8:30 p.m.
Election board workers will then send an absentee ballot to the applicant’s address. The voter can return the completed absentee ballot by mail, and it must be postmarked no later than the day before Election Day and received by the county board of elections no later than four days after the election.
Voters can also return their absentee ballots to their election board in person, or a near relative can deliver it on their behalf inside if they fill out a form attesting that they are following the law, per a new directive by Secretary of State Frank LaRose. The board of elections must receive the ballot no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
In-person early voting hours
Wed-Fri, Oct. 23-25: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sat, Oct. 26: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sun, Oct. 27: 1-5 p.m.
Mon, Oct. 28: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tues, Oct. 29: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Wed-Fri, Oct. 30-Nov. 1: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Sat, Nov. 2: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sun, Nov. 3: 1-5 p.m.
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