Voting is a simple concept. Fill out a ballot, drop it in a box, and off you go. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and raging political wars, voting in all states — including Ohio — seems more complicated.
Take the issue of drop boxes, for example.
Because of the pandemic, the 2020 primary was almost entirely an absentee ballot election. County boards of elections, at the direction of the Ohio General Assembly, installed drop boxes outside their offices to receive absentee ballots from voters and relieve overburdened mail carriers.
As the Nov. 3 general election approaches, the drop boxes remain in place — one in each county — because although Ohioans can vote in-person on Election Day, more are expected to vote absentee than ever before. Voting rights groups have called for additional drop boxes to handle the increased absentee load.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, while saying he favors the idea, has so far refused to authorize additional drop boxes. He’s questioned whether it’s legal and is worried the state would face lawsuits unless Ohio lawmakers pass legislation approving extra drop boxes.
Nevertheless, on Sept. 14, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections voted to place additional drop boxes at six libraries. Then, just one day later, an Ohio judge ruled that LaRose has no legal right to prohibit more drop boxes. LaRose said he will appeal the ruling and continue to forbid extra drop boxes.