Election lines out the door today for early voting; weather a scare on Tuesday

There are long lines at county boards of elections in the Mahoning Valley with people taking advantage of early voting.

“It’s out the door,” said Rokey Suleman, Trumbull County Board of Elections’ deputy director.

It’s the same in Mahoning and Columbiana counties.

Voters were waiting outside the Mahoning County board office on Market Street in Youngstown before it opened at 8 a.m. today.

“It’s been very steady,” said Raymond Butler, who works at the board, about early voters.

The weather is playing a factor in the increased number of early voters, elections officials say.

The forecast for Tuesday calls for occasional freezing rain with an ice accumulation of up to one-quarter of one inch, according to the National Weather Service.

No-fault absentee voting, enacted in 2005, allows voters to cast ballots early.

Early voting will occur at the elections boards until 4:30 p.m. today. If you’re in line at that time, you can vote today.

People can also go to elections board offices until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, when the polls close, to cast votes.