COLUMBUS – As voters head to the polls today, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted announced that 483,953 absentee ballots were requested in the 2015 General Election. To date, 383,375 absentee ballots have been cast by mail and in person, and 100,578 absentee ballots remain outstanding.
According to Shelby County Board of Elections Director Dawn Billing, 1,256 absentee ballots were issued to Shelby County voters. As of noon today, 1,365 ballots had been returned.
Based on an informal survey of Ohio’s 88 county boards of election, as Nov. 2:
· 483,953 – Number of absentee ballot applications received.
· 383,375 – Number of absentee ballots cast.
o 246,382 – Absentee ballots cast by mail.
o 136,993 – Absentee ballots cast in person.
· 100,578 – Number of outstanding absentee ballots.
Reminders for Voters
Polls open until 7:30 p.m. tonight: Voters choosing to head to the polls today need to bring the proper form of ID and know their polling place and precinct. Voters can check their polling place and precinct and get other important voting information by visiting MyOhioVote.com.
Still time to drop off absentee ballots: Voters who requested and received an absentee ballot by mail must complete, sign and seal their voted ballots, and include proper identification. Voted ballots can be delivered in person to boards of elections through the close of the polls TODAY. They may not be returned at polling locations.
What’s on the ballot: In today’s election, Ohio voters will decide three statewide issues:
State Issue 1: Creates a bi-partisan, public process for drawing legislative districts.
State Issue 2: Anti-monopoly amendment: protects the initiative process from being used for personal economic benefit.
State Issue 3: Grants a monopoly for the commercial production and sale of marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes.
Billing said today’s voter participation throughout Shelby County was good. “It seems to be going OK. We’re getting lots of phone calls,” she said.
Check out the Sidney Daily News website and Wednesday’s print edition for results coverage.
