Live Election Day coverage of Ohio’s Aug. 8 Issue 1 special election

Decision Desk calls Issue 1 as rejected. “No” side declares victory

The “One Person One Vote” campaign is declaring victory in defeating Ohio Issue 1 after the election was called by Decision Desk Tuesday evening.

The Ohio Capital Journal waits until the Associated Press calls elections before running full stories.

“We did it. Tonight is a major victory for Democracy in Ohio. The majority still rules in Ohio, and the people’s power has been preserved – because Ohio voters showed up and overwhelmingly voted down Issue 1,” said Dennis Willard, spokesperson for the One Person One Vote Campaign.

Decision Desk HQ projects Ohio Issue 1 has been defeated.#DecisionMade: 8:09pm EST

Follow more results here: https://t.co/a5UfGjVDcx

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) August 9, 2023

As polls close, reports say some polling locations out of ballots

Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. with several locations reporting people still queued up to vote, though some locations were reportedly running out of ballots.

Election monitors in Stark County said two locations in the county, Jackson Twp. and the Town Hall Building were out of ballots, and voters were told to come back.

The report caps off a day with numerous issues, but several that were resolved without further issue.

Tuesday morning, vote tabulation machines went down at one location in Cuyahoga Falls, but the machine was replaced, all while voters were still allowed to vote at the location, according to Summit County Board of Elections deputy director Pete Zeigler.

Those who voted during the period when the machine was down could have their ballots stored until the machine was replaced or have their ballot voided and come back later.

Nazek Hapasha, of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, also said election protection teams received reports of several “vote no” signs being removed from church polling location property in New Albany and Powell, while “vote yes” signs remained.

Hapasha said the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office has been notified.

Ohio polls close at 7:30 p.m., but if you’re in line at that time, you can still vote

Polling locations across Ohio close at 7:30 p.m. today, but any voters still in line at that time are still allowed to cast ballots, so they should not leave if that’s the case.

The only question on the ballot is state Issue 1, which would raise the threshold for constitutional amendments to pass from a simple majority of 50%+1, to 60%. This means that 40% of Ohioans would get to veto proposed amendments.

It would also require citizen-initiated constitutional amendment campaigns to collect signatures from each of the state’s 88 counties. Currently, it is 44 counties.

Issue 1 would also eliminate the cure period of 10 days for campaigns to gather additional signatures for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments when the original submission did not have enough valid signatures. Currently, there is a 10-day period to make up the deficit.

If you do not know where your designated precinct or polling place is located, please contact your county board of elections or click here to search for your polling place online.

All voters will need to bring an acceptable photo identification to the poll in order to verify their identity. Click here for a list of acceptable forms of identification.

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be post-marked by Aug. 7.

If not returned by mail, absentee ballots may be personally delivered to your county board of elections. They must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 8.

Cuyahoga Falls voting machines back up and running

Election officials in Summit County say the issue at the Church in the Falls polling location in Cuyahoga Falls has been resolved and both voting machines are up and running.

Pete Zeigler, deputy director of the Summit County Board of Elections, said the location has been accepting voters continuously, even as one machine experienced technical issues and the location had to implement a backup plan for some ballots.

“Voting never stopped there,” Zeigler said.

The location started putting ballots into an orange bag to be tabulated once the machine was replaced. Some voters decided to void their ballots and vote later, but the issue was resolved “hours ago,” according to Zeigler.

“This was a machine that was being used, both by voters and poll workers, for the first time,” Zeigler told the OCJ. “Even when the one machine was out of order, we implemented emergency protocols.”

As soon as the new machine was operational, Zeigler said bipartisan tabulators scanned all of the ballots that hadn’t yet been entered into the machine.

Summit County ballot scanning machine issues have been resolved

WEWS reports:

The Summit County ballot issue has been resolved and the box of ballots has been counted.

Polling problems extend beyond Cuyahoga Falls in Summit County

OCJ news partner WEWS reports:

The Summit County Board of Elections is reporting that a problem with new scanners has happened at several locations. Officials tell reporter John Kosich they are working to repair or replace them.

All ballots are being stored in orange auxiliary bags as per protocol overseen by Democratic and Republican poll workers and will be scanned when the issue is resolved.

Ohio Secretary of State skips press conference over protesters

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose planned to cast his ballot and talk to reporters at his polling location Tuesday morning. Those plans changed after a handful of protesters camped out across the street.

About a dozen people chanted their opposition to Issue 1 and called LaRose a coward for not showing up. A spokesman confirmed the protesters’ presence scrapped their plans but said LaRose would still vote later on Tuesday.

Despite being tasked with administering the election, LaRose’s dogged campaigning in favor of Issue 1 has made him the face of the effort to alter Ohio’s amendment process.

Election protection keeping tabs as election day continues

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. this morning for the special primary election to decide the fate of Issue 1. As of 11 a.m., election protection monitors have seen only minor issues, according to Nazek Hapasha, policy affairs manager for the League of Women Voters of Ohio. Hapasha is watching and listening for issues at polling places as the day goes along

Issues are popping up across the state, Hapasha said, but those issues don’t indicate any systemic issues.

“It’s more indicative of an election that boards of elections were not fully prepared for, and that poll workers were not adequately trained for,” Hapasha said.

The election is the first with changes to the voter ID laws, limiting the ways in which voters prove their residency and reducing the curing period for provisional ballots. Provisional ballots are available to voters who do not have the proper identification at the polls but still want to enter their vote at the polling place.

Provisional ballots are tabulated after election day, after voters verify their residency or resolve other issues they may have had in voting.

“There are reports of folks being told to vote provisionally or being turned away before they’re being told they can vote provisionally,” Hapasha said.

WEWS’s Mike Holden reported all scanners were down at the Cuyahoga Falls polling location, where ballots were placed in bags to be scanned later or voided at a voters request, so they could return later.

Here’s a look at people waiting for ballots to get scanned at Cuyahoga Falls polling location. They have now since all gotten out of line. Some left ballots to be scanned later. Others said they would have workers void the ballot and re-vote later today. @WEWS #OhioIssue1 #Issue1 pic.twitter.com/HospmioE3M

— Mike Holden (@MikeHoldenNews) August 8, 2023

Nonpartisan election protection team members from the LWV and other groups are placed at polling locations across the state, and available for voter questions. A hotline for questions or to report issues is active at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

All ballot scanners down at a Cuyahoga Falls polling location, WEWS reporter posts

Reporter Mike Holden with Ohio Capital Journal news partner WEWS is reporting that all ballot scanners are down and not working at a Cuyahoga Falls polling location.

Holden said in a social media post that voters are being given the option of placing their completed ballots in a container to be scanned later, or to void their ballots and come back to vote later. He reports that both voters and election workers are frustrated by the situation.

#BREAKING: ALL ballot scanners are down & not working at Cuyahoga Falls polling location. Voters & workers frustrated. Ballots either placed in orange bag & scanned later OR can void ballot & come back later. Stay with @WEWS #Issue1 #OhioIssue1 #OhioElection #SpecialElection pic.twitter.com/2DD9Jd43rg

— Mike Holden (@MikeHoldenNews) August 8, 2023

Important information on voting, voter ID, absentee ballots, and the nonpartisan voter hotline

On Election Day, you must cast your ballot in your precinct at your designated polling place between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

If you do not know where your designated precinct or polling place is located, please contact your county board of elections or click here to search for your polling place online.

Voter ID

All voters will need to bring an acceptable photo identification to the poll in order to verify their identity. Click here for a list of acceptable forms of identification.

Absentee ballots

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be post-marked by Aug. 7.

If not returned by mail, absentee ballots may be personally delivered to your county board of elections. They must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 8.

Nonpartisan voter helpline

If you have any questions or concerns about voting, or poll worker challenges to your voting status and registration, a nonpartisan helpline has been created.

Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to speak with a trained Election Protection volunteer in English.

The hotline also comes in different languages

Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)

Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)

Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)

Marking your ballot

Instructions for marking and casting your ballot are posted in each polling place. If you have any questions about how to mark or cast your ballot, or if you have incorrectly marked a ballot, immediately contact a precinct election official for instructions before you continue.

Voting assistance

A voter with a physical or mental disability, or a voter who is unable to read or write, may be assisted by anyone of the voter’s choice, except a candidate who appears on the ballot in that precinct, the voter’s employer or the employer’s agent, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A voter may also be assisted by two poll workers (each of a different political party). No one who assists a voter may disclose any information about how that person voted. For more information about access for voters with disabilities, please click here.