Ohio elections chief: Precincts can’t take absentee ballots

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio regulation doesn’t allow voters to return absentee ballots at their precincts on Election Day, the state’s elections chief is cautioning amid a misinformation marketing campaign across the safety of voting machines that’s urging them to take action.

Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose stated these voters who heed recommendation from a distinguished nationwide group of Republican election deniers and maintain onto their paper ballots till Nov. 8 should ship them to their county board of elections workplace. Ballot staff at precinct-level voting places can’t settle for them, he stated.

“Because of this it’s harmful for individuals who don’t know what they’re speaking about to be meting out dangerous elections-related recommendation to individuals,” he stated in an Related Press interview Tuesday. “As a result of if somebody is telling voters to take their absentee poll to their polling location on Election Day, they’re successfully instructing them methods to disenfranchise themselves.”

LaRose stated that risk has precipitated concern amongst county election officers.

The GOP activists — together with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell — echo lies that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump and are urging GOP voters to not use the U.S. mail or a voting machine to forged their votes. As a substitute, they’ve inspired them to fill out a paper absentee poll and return it in individual on the final minute.

The plan relies on unfounded conspiracy theories that fraudsters will manipulate voting methods to rig outcomes for Democrats as soon as they’ve seen what number of Republican votes have been returned early. There was no proof of any such widespread fraud, nor that the 2020 election was stolen.

LaRose inspired Ohioans to hunt dependable sources of data — comparable to his workplace’s web site, the web site for his or her county board of elections and studies from respected information organizations — as they make plans to vote.

He stated merely mailing an absentee poll is the best path for voters who’ve requested one. For many who have issues in regards to the U.S. Postal Service, his workplace has arrange a web based poll monitoring software.

Safe poll drop packing containers, one situated at every of Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections, are an alternative choice, he stated. These workplaces additionally will settle for absentee ballots in individual till 7:30 p.m. on Election Evening.

If a voter who has requested an absentee poll modifications their thoughts on Election Day and decides to vote in individual at their precinct, they are going to be allowed to take action — however they should vote by provisional poll, stated LaRose spokesperson Rob Nichols.

LaRose is up for reelection Nov. 8. He faces Democrat Chelsea Clark, a small enterprise proprietor and metropolis council member in suburban Cincinnati, and Terpsehore “Tore” Maras, a conservative podcaster and election denier who’s operating as an impartial.