Monday is last day to register to vote in November election
YOUNGSTOWN
For those who aren’t registered to vote in the Nov. 3 election, the deadline to do so is Monday.
Also, those registered can start casting ballots Tuesday.
If anything is going to drive turnout, some local election officials say it will be Issue 3, the statewide charter amendment to legalize marijuana for recreational and medical use for those at least 21 years old.
“It’s going to be a little bit busier because of Issue 3,” said Stephanie Penrose, Trumbull County Board of Elections director. “It will be the main thing driving turnout.”
Adam Booth, Columbiana County Board of Elections director, also said it’s likely turnout will be higher than normal for an odd-year general election for the marijuana proposal.
But Thomas McCabe, Mahoning County Board of Elections deputy director, said he hasn’t seen an increase in voter interest because of Issue 3.
“That’s not to say it won’t impact turnout,” he said. “As it gets closer to election time, and it gets more media coverage and more commercials, it may increase. Right now, it’s awfully quiet.”
None of the election officials expect turnout to match the 2011 general election numbers when an initiative to overturn collective-bargaining restrictions on public employees was defeated.
General election turnout in Mahoning in 2011 was 44 percent. It was 29 percent in 2013. McCabe expects it to be 30 percent this year.
In Trumbull, general election turnout in 2011 was 49 percent. It was 25 percent in 2013. Penrose predicted turnout for this election to be 40 percent.
In Columbiana, turnout in the November 2011 election was 48 percent. It was 28 percent two years ago.
“It’s hard to gauge how much interest level there will be on Issue 3 at this point,” Booth said. “It has the potential to drive turnout numbers up, but if it doesn’t, it would just be the status quo.”
Turnout could be as low as 30 percent or as high as 40 percent to 45 percent, Booth said.
“Most likely, I see it coming in around 35 percent to 40 percent,” he said.
County election boards will be open until 9 p.m. Monday to register voters for the general election.
To register in person, you need either your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number on the written application.
The Mahoning County Board of Elections is in Oakhill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave. on Youngstown’s South Side.
Trumbull’s board is at 2947 Youngstown Road SE in Warren, and Columbiana County’s board office is at 7989 Dickey Drive in Lisbon.
Early voting begins Tuesday. For those wanting to vote in-person at the board of elections, the offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays from Tuesday to Oct. 23. The hours are extended to 7 p.m. Oct. 26 to 30.
On Oct. 31, the Saturday before the election, early in-person voting is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 1, the Sunday before the election, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 2, the day before the election.
Polls are open from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3.
Requests to vote early by mail are being processed with ballots being mailed later next week.