By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
One week into early voting, and already 8,510 Wood County voters have cast their ballots for the Nov. 3 general election.
The county board of elections prepared for the heavy early turnout this year by setting up 13 voting machines in the atrium area of the county courthouse complex and by installing a larger drop box outside for completed ballots.
“Our dropbox is certainly doing a business,” Wood County Board of Elections Director Terry Burton said this morning.
And the voting stations are seeing a steady flow of people wanting to cast their ballots early and avoid busy polling places on Nov. 3.
“We’ve been getting really good feedback on the process and the set up,” Burton said.
Besides the first day of early voting on Oct. 6, the lines have not been long and the maximum wait time is about 10 minutes.
“There’s always a machine open by the time we are done processing a voter,” he said.
Wood County currently has 93,230 registered voters. As of this morning, 3,268 county residents had used the in-person early voting option. And of the 21,474 absentee ballots requested, a total of 5,242 had been completed and returned.
In addition to the 13 voting machines in the atrium area, there are two more in the board of elections office for people who requested absentee ballots, but then decided they want to vote early in person.
In Ohio, votes cast prior to election day can be processed prior to Nov. 3. Some states, like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are prohibited from even beginning the processing of counting early votes till election day.
It hasn’t been that long since Ohio did not allow early ballots to be counted until election day, Burton said.
“I’m glad it changed,” he said. “Now that we’re dealing with such different numbers, it’s a stress reliever.”
While the board of elections can push the early ballots through scanners, the results cannot be printed until after voting is closed on election day.
The early voting in the courthouse complex is allowing poll workers to get used to the voting process during the coronavirus pandemic, Burton said.
“We’re trying to remind them that from the election side, things are the same,” he said. The difference is the addition of personal protective equipment, dealing with voters through plexiglass, and frequent sanitizing of equipment.
“When you first do it, it is daunting,” Burton said. “It’s been a learning curve for them. They are getting faster and able to process more.”
The board of elections has had a good response to its search for poll workers.
“The people in the county have stepped up,” Burton said.
But the board is still looking for more poll workers with this being a year like none other.
“We never have enough,” Burton said. “We are always recruiting. We don’t know what election day will bring. One little outbreak could take out a group of people,” and render them unable to work on Nov. 3.
“We’re definitely recruiting” for scheduled workers and substitutes, he said. Online training is being offered this year.
Anyone interested may call the board of elections at 419-354-9120, or email boe@woodcountyohio.gov.
“We’ll be happy to get them on a list,” Burton said.
Early voting hours in the courthouse atrium are:
- Oct. 6 – 16, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 19 – 23, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 24, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 25, from 1 – 5 p.m.
- Oct. 26 – 30, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 1, from 1 – 5 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Absentee ballot voters may drop off completed ballots in the 24-hour secure dropbox located at the main entrance of the Wood County Courthouse off Summit Street. The box is marked with “Board of Elections” and is just to the right of the doors into the atrium.
