early voting
More than 42 million Americans already have voted in the midterms
WASHINGTON — More than 42 million Americans by mid-afternoon on Monday had gotten a jump start on Tuesday’s midterm elections, casting their votes through mail-in ballots or by heading to in-person early voting centers. The United States Election Project’s data showed a significant number of voters continue to prefer voting ahead of Election Day, possibly continuing a […]
One week out, early in-person voting keeps growing while mail voting lags
With just one week until Election Day, early vote figures show a modest increase overall compared to the last midterm cycle. Continuing a trend, big jumps in early in-person voting are compensating for declining absentee ballot requests. At most recent count, 1.24 million voters have requested their ballots early either absentee or through early in-person […]
Early vote figures paint a muddled picture
The latest early voting figures from the Secretary of State’s office show a modest 1.8% increase compared to this point in the last midterm cycle. But there’s an interesting shift happening within those numbers. Absentee ballot requests make up the lion’s share of the more than 1 million ballots cast or requested. They lag 2018 […]
More than 9 million voters already have cast their ballots in November elections
WASHINGTON — Roughly 9.4 million Americans have already voted in the midterm elections, casting a combination of in-person early votes and mail-in ballots, according to data compiled by the United States Elections Project. Florida as well as Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania are among the top states in terms of early voting so far. The initiative, headed […]
Testy exchanges seen in first hearing on Ohio election changes bill
The Republican sponsors of a bill to change various pieces of Ohio election law had their first opportunity Thursday to make a case why these changes are necessary. State Reps. Bill Seitz, R-Green Twp., and Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth, fielded questions from a handful of Democratic lawmakers, each sharing concerns that some of the provisions would […]
Election reform battle comes to Ohio with new Republican proposals
The 2020 election in Ohio, Republicans will tell you, was perhaps the most successful in state history. Ohio recorded its highest turnout ever, despite a pandemic that saw COVID-19 cases rising in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Secretary of State Frank LaRose led a major poll worker recruitment drive and coordinated safety protocols […]
Mailbag: How can someone with COVID-19 vote this year?
The election season is wrapping up, but the Ohio Capital Journal Mailbag carries on. Let’s get to it: Got a question about Ohio politics? Send them to [email protected] or tweet them to @tylerjoelb. Who makes the “call” in Ohio that a candidate has enough votes tallied to declare the winners of the election? Is this […]
Want to still request an absentee ballot in Ohio? Do it ASAP
Time is quickly running out. Ohioans looking to vote by mail or drop box, but who haven’t yet requested their ballot, should put in their requests as soon as possible. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is technically Saturday, Oct. 31 at noon, but Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is warning that date […]
Despite barriers, make sure your voice is heard by voting
Ohio’s voting procedures have been visible in the news. There are reports that nearly 50,000 of mail-in absentee ballots have been sent out incorrectly, with the wrong name or address. Another report tells of how a company in charge of printing ballots sent wrong ballots to one state, or just flat-out haven’t mailed ballots out […]
Mailbag: We might not know who won Ohio on Election Day. Here’s why.
There is Supreme Court confirmation drama underway in Washington, D.C., but the necessity of reading the Ohio Capital Journal is a well-established super-precedent. It’s time for the Mailbag: Got a question about Ohio politics or the elections? Send them to [email protected] or tweet them to @tylerjoelb. Do mail-in votes and in-person early votes both start […]
A safe experience at the polls
By the time I arrived at the Franklin County Board of Elections last Thursday afternoon, the long line waiting to vote I’d seen in photos had mostly dissipated. Once I made it past the gauntlet of enthusiastic partisans in the parking lot — Please take a quick glance at this giant stack of pamphlets, won’t […]
Early voting in Ohio begins today. Here’s where you can go
Today is the first day Ohioans can cast their ballots for the 2020 General Election. For those not wanting to wait for Election Day on Nov. 3, or have concerns about voting in-person due to the pandemic, Ohio offers several other ways to vote early. Voting by mail Ohioans can vote by mail if they […]