New voting rules have been instituted for the primary election that will be held in Ohio on Tuesday, May 2.
Polling hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Proof of identity will be required. All voters must show unexpired photo identification with their name on it. The following are acceptable forms of photo identification: Ohio driver’s license, state ID card or interim ID form issued by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a United States passport or passport card, a U.S. Military ID card, Ohio National Guard ID card or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
If you have an unreported change of name, but your present proof of legal name change and complete form 10-L on Election Day, you may be eligible to cast a regular ballot.
If you are unable to provide photo identification, you will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot. If you do not have photo identification because of a religious objection to being photographed, you may complete an affidavit of religious objection and have your provisional ballot count.
Voting a provisional ballot
You will be permitted to cast a provisional ballot after completing and signing a provisional affirmation statement for any of the following reasons:
* Your name does not appear on the official poll list for an election, a precinct election official asserts that you are not eligible to vote, or a precinct election official is unable to determine your eligibility to vote.
* You do not have or unable to provide valid photo identification.
* You are an Ohio voter who moved from one Ohio precinct to another Ohio precinct, and you did not update your voter registration by the 30th day prior to the Election Day.
* You are an Ohio voter who changed your name, and you did not update your voter registration by the 30th day prior to the Election Day or bring documentation of your name change with you.
* You are an Ohio voter who moved from one Ohio precinct to another Ohio precinct and changed your name and you did not update your voter registration by the 30th day prior to this Election Day.
* Your name is marked on the poll list or signature book as having requested an absentee ballot.
* Your name is marked on the poll list or signature book with a notation that registration mailings have been returned undelivered.
A hearing on a challenge to your eligibility to vote was held and received against you or the hearing on a challenge to your eligibility to vote has been postponed until after Election Day.
* Your eligibility to cast a ballot has been challenged by the precinct election officials.
* Your signature, in the opinion of the precinct election officials, does not match your registration form.
The precinct election official will provide you with instructions on how to vote the provisional ballot. After voting the provisional ballot, you will return the ballot to the precinct election official.
No person will be denied the opportunity to cast a provisional ballot because they do not reside in the precinct in which they wish to vote. However, if the precinct election official documents that you refused to cast a provisional ballot in the precinct in which you reside, your ballot cannot be counted.
If the county board of elections determines that you were eligible to cast the ballot, the provisional ballot will be counted in the official canvas of the election.
As a person voting by provisional ballot in an election, you are entitled to written information describing how you may learn, through a free telephone access system, whether your provisional ballot was counted by election officials, and if it was not counted, why not. The precinct election official will provide the information to you.
If you properly complete and sign the affirmation statement on the provisional ballot envelope, the board of elections will update your voter registration based on the information you provide.
Poll workers needed
The Highland County Board of Elections is looking for poll workers. Those interested can stop by the election board office at 1575 N. High St., Suite 200, Hillsboro. Poll workers are paid. They must live in Highland County, be a registered voter and attend a paid training. Call 937-393-9961 for more information.
Registration deadline
The voter registration deadline for the May 2 primary election is Monday, April 3. On that day the board of elections office will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can visit the board of elections website to check your voter registration status or to update your address or your name visit https:www.boe.ohio.gov/highland/voter-registration/information/.
Submitted by David Tolliver, Highland County Board of Elections.
