More than a quarter of Ohio voters cast absentee ballots in May primary

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio elections officials say the share of primary voters using absentee ballots has more than tripled since 2006, and they expect the upward trend to continue.

Final numbers from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office show a little over a quarter of voters in this year’s May primary cast an absentee ballot, either by mail or in person at their local elections board. Four years earlier, 7.5 percent went that route.

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and county elections officials say they expect this fall’s election to bring at least the same level of absentee voting as the primary.

Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, had the highest percentage of absentee voters in May, more than 61 percent.