The Fayette County Board of Elections is reminding citizens of important deadlines to remember concerning the new mail-in primary election rescheduled for April 28 due to the coronavirus.
On March 25, the Ohio General Assembly passed legislation aimed at dealing with the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other items, the bill sets April 28 as the final day of Ohio’s primary election.
Every registered voter in Ohio will receive an informational postcard from the Ohio Secretary of State that explains how to request their absentee application for a mail-in ballot, according to Fayette County Board of Elections Director Beth Ann Snyder. Any registered voter who has not already voted may apply for a mail-in absentee ballot by completing an absentee application.
Saturday, April 25 at 12 p.m. is the deadline to request a ballot.
Monday, April 27 is the last day to postmark any ballot.
Tuesday, April 28 by 7:30 p.m. is the deadline to drop your ballot off at the board of elections/drop-box.
To request an absentee application, you can:
– Visit the website: VoteOhio.gov, find the Fayette County Board of Elections, click on Absentee Ballot Application box, fill out the application, print it off, sign it and then either mail it to the: Fayette County Board of Elections, 135 S. Main St., Wash. C.H., OH 43160, or put it in the drop box outside of the board of elections office.
– If you do not have access to a computer/printer, you can call the board of elections office at 740-335-1190 and request an application be mailed to you.
After the board of elections receives the completed absentee application, it will process the request, pull your ballot and mail it to you, according to Snyder.
Those interested can also track their applications and ballots on the board of elections website.
Ohio’s top health official ordered polls closed over concerns about the coronavirus just hours before voters were supposed to begin casting ballots March 17 in the state’s presidential primary. DeWine announced the decision the night before, after a judge had ruled against his request that in-person voting be delayed because of crowds at polling places.
Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose instructed the state’s 88 county election boards to comply with Dr. Amy Acton’s directive and rescheduled in-person voting to June 2. That timeline was challenged in court by the Ohio Democratic Party, which advocated for casting all remaining votes by mail.
The party moved Thursday to drop its lawsuit, saying the coronavirus relief bill passed March 25 had addressed its concerns.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Reach Ryan Carter at 740-313-0352.
