Board of Elections hopes to avoid voter confusion with new video

Board of Elections hopes to avoid voter confusion with new video

Hamilton County records show 354 ballots were thrown out in the Ohio Primary last spring.

The Board of Elections is taking steps so that voter confusion can be avoided in November.

OHIO SAW A BIG TURNOUT FOR THEAPRIL PRIMARY -- DESPITECORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS.BUTGET THIS -- HUNDREDS OF VOTESCAST THAT DAY DID áNOT COUNT.REPORTER LARRY SEWARD LOOKEDIN IT -- AND FOUND STATERECORDS THAT BLAME A MIX OFVOTER MISTAKES AND CONFUSION.ohio's general assembly...worried about coronavirusspreading... limitedin-person voting to thosehomeless or disabled.

Everyoneelse was supposed to vote bymail.confusion followed.statewide... electionofficials tossed more than10-thousand ballots... allprovisional which means therewere questions about thevoter's eligibility.staterecords show some counties:Champaign, Greene, and Lickingrejected more provisionalballots than counted.manysuffered because more ballotsshowed up late.top reasonsinclude:people notregistered...registered in thewrong state...no id...missingsignatures on envelopes.andthe rules are strict.(sot/ tc15:38/ joe Mallory/ formerelection official)"even thoughthey can verify your birthdate, they can verify yoursignature, even they canverify all the otherinformation, if you did notprint your name, those twolines that say print yourfirst and last name, if youdidn't print it they willreject your envelope, yourprovisional ballot envelope."(track)April 28th.Ohio'sdelayed primaryCrowds atHamilton county's board ofelections to vote in-person.more than a few just wastedtime.They were supposed tohave disabilities......unableto get mail......or missingvote-by-mail ballots theyapplied for.county recordsshow 354 did not and got theirvotes thrown out.(sot/ tc15:12/ sherry poland/ hamiltonco board of elections director)"i don't think the pastprimary is a good example ofprovisional voting because itwas such a unique situation."(track)It's why hamiltoncounty recently released thishow-to video explainingprovisional voting and itsimportance.usually... 90-percent count.and thoughnearly one in four got tossedin the spring... boarddirector sherry Poland expectsa November closer to normal(sot/ tc 16:43/ sherry poland/hamilton co boe,director)"we are planning andthe guidelines "we areplanning and the guidelines wereceived from the state is toplan for that type of anelection because that's whatvoters want.

They want thechoice."(track)withvote-by-mail, in-person earlyand Election day all beoptions... officials expectless provisional Voting... aslong as voters prepare.(larrylook live)"their advice here:check your registration.

Getit done before October fifth.and know that if you request avote-by-mail ballot and thenshow up election day... youwill become vote provisionallyso officials can make sureeveryone only votes once.

InNorwood... Larry Seward...wcpo... nine news."