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Secretary of state establishes additional voting hours
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted has officially directed county elections boards to open for early voting on additional weekdays and Sundays after a federal court decision earlier this month.
The latest directive has early in-person voting on Sept. 30, restoring “golden week” opportunities for eligible Ohioans to register and cast ballots on the same day.
The instructions include evening hours Oct. 6, Oct. 20-24 and Oct. 27-31, plus Saturday hours Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 and Sunday afternoon hours Oct. 26 and Nov. 2.
The final day of early in-person voting outlined in the directive is Nov. 3 — the Monday before Election Day — from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The directive also notes, “Any voter of the county may request and vote an absent voter’s ballot [or a provisional ballot beginning Oct. 7] in person during these regular business hours. Any voters in line at the end of these regular business hours must be permitted to make their application and vote.”
Earlier this month, a federal judged ordered Husted to restore the extra week and additional day and evening hours for early voting, ruling that Republican-backed election law changes were unconstitutional.
Husted and Attorney General Mike DeWine have appealed the ruling.