06/26/2023

August Special Election has Ohio Election Offices Scrambling

Officials have had to lure poll workers away from vacations and more

A high-stakes August special election with national political implications is upending local election offices across Ohio, as already stressed election workers are suddenly faced with a mountain of logistical challenges after Republican lawmakers backtracked on their own law.

Officials have to lure poll workers away from vacations, relocate polling places booked for summer weddings, maintenance or other events, and repeatedly retest ballot language after the state’s high court found errors.

"It's disheartening. It's exhausting," said Michelle Wilcox, a Democrat who is the director of elections in tiny Auglaize County in northwest Ohio. "When you're overworked, haven't had breaks, are stressed, things can happen. These are the things that lead up to catastrophes on Election Day, and to have to do it on such a short timeline is troubling."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.