As early voting kicked off on Tuesday, the Ohio Secretary of State talked to Your News Now about a second primary election that will be needed for races that can not be on the May 3rd ballot.
Frank LaRose says that starting April 5th, people can either vote in person at the board of elections, or request an absentee ballot by going to voteohio.gov, or people can head to the polling location on Election Day May 3rd.
Because the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the state legislature maps to be redrawn three additional times, voters will not be able to cast their ballots for Ohio House and Senate Races in the May Primary, as well as, the state central committee positions. LaRose says the state lawmakers will have to set a second primary election date for those races, and he is recommending August 2nd.
“That is the latest date that we can do it and still have everything in place for the important election day in November which obviously not moveable,” says LaRose. “That has to happen on the day that it always happens, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The Ohio Supreme Court really should really accept the maps that we have drawn, the fourth set of maps. We have followed exactly what the court has told us to do, in my opinion. But again, that will be up to the Ohio Supreme Court to decide.”
With the pandemic starting just before the primary two years ago, and the recent delays of getting maps approved for races in this primary, the county boards of election have been dealing a lot of sudden changes. LaRose says it speaks well of the democrats and republicans that sit on the boards making sure that elections run smooth.
“2020 these bipartisan men and women that work at each of our county boards of elections stepped up and proved what I have been saying for a long time and that Ohio elections officials are the best in the country,” adds LaRose. “We are proving that again and the fact that early voting is beginning right on time today and the boards of elections are prepared for that. The fact that absentee ballots for our overseas and military personnel have already started going out, that started on Saturday, is a testament to the resiliency and grit and determination of our county boards of elections.”
People can vote early at the county board of elections offices until 2 p.m. Monday, May 2nd.
