Twice as many Ohio voters returned absentee ballots already than in 2016 and nearly triple the number of Ohioans have voted early in person compared to the same time in 2016, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said.
At the same time, LaRose issued a directive that shortened the amount of time boards of elections have to certify ballots following the Nov. 3 general election. That move prompted a letter from Democrats in the Ohio House of Representatives asking LaRose for an explanation and a concern not all ballots would be counted.
LaRose’s response led to another letter from Democrats demanding answers Wednesday. They claimed the secretary’s response was vague and the directive will not give boards enough time to count votes.
“The bottom line is every vote cast in the 2020 election must be counted,” state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown, said. “We know the secretary of state can see the absentee ballot requests and the lines at early voting. Ohioans are motivated to make their voices heard in this election. They are making a plan to vote safely before election day. We demand that county boards of elections be given the time needed to ensure a complete count of votes.”
LaRose has not responded publicly.
Absentee ballot requests have reached 2.7 million, meaning one of out every three registered Ohio voters requested a ballot. That total includes 24,824 requests from military and overseas voters. At the same time during the 2016 election, 1.4 million absentee ballots had been requested.
“Inspiring. There’s no other work for it,” LaRose said. “With two weeks until election day, our record-breaking turnout is sending a message – it’s easy to vote in Ohio.”
