ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio – Two officials from the Belmont County Board of elections updated county commissioners on this year’s election proceedings at the Wednesday commission meeting.
Belmont County Board of Elections Director Aaron Moore and Deputy Director Kamron Chervenak told commissioners that voting in Ohio is “safe and secure.”
Moore said the elections board staff reviews and crosschecks ID’s, birthdates and addresses on ballots to match them with the registered voter. He added that a bipartisan team of workers staffs the office to ensure fairness when processing ballots.
Moore said that more than 10,000 ballots have been cast so far. He said this includes 3,118 ballots cast in person and 7,500 mail-in ballots. Moore added that 50 percent of mail-in ballots have already been returned.
There is a ballot drop-off box at the elections headquarters located at 52180 National Road in St. Clairsville, but Moore said there are rules to follow when using this box. Only the person to whom the ballot belongs can drop it in the box unless the absentee voter is disabled. Moore said this system works on the honor system but is meant to prevent ballot harvesting. He said the box is monitored 24 hours per day either by staff or video surveillance and the video is reviewed.
Voters can also track the status of their ballots on the election board website.
Moore said electronic voting machines are not an issue here since Belmont County only uses paper ballots. Ballots are also audited after the election.
If a voter is hospitalized, elections board staff can take the ballot to them, Moore explained.
The general election date is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
