BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Exercising your right to vote in Belmont County, Ohio can be a bit tricky. At least that was my experience.
I am Karen Fatula, News Director for River News Network, and my early voting experience Friday, Nov. 1 was difficult.
I arrived at the Belmont County Board of Elections in St. Clairsville around 8:45 a.m. with my absentee ballot and was met by a woman at the entrance who told me to deposit my ballot in the drop box. I explained that I did not want to use the absentee ballot or the drop box and wanted to vote in person. She directed me to talk to a woman at the counter behind the window.
I explained to the second woman that I wanted to vote in person. She told me I could not do that and directed me to fill out my ballot at a card table in the public lobby. I declined. She insisted that I had to use the ballot I had. I told her to “forget it” and left with my ballot.
I decided to vote in person instead of using the absentee ballot since it was a late date to mail it. Also, I wanted to see my ballot processed through the tabulator machine. Some people call this hybrid voting. I did not think this would be an issue, but the staffers at the Belmont County Board of Elections thought it was.
Undeterred by their rejection, I called the Ohio Secretary of State and spoke with Jennifer Hutchinson, Director of Constituent Services. She assured me I had a right to new ballot and said the Belmont County Board of Elections staffer should have marked my absentee ballot as “spoiled” and permitted me to vote in person, in a private setting, with a new ballot.
Later that morning, Aaron Moore, Director of the Belmont County Board of Elections, phoned me to apologize. He said I could vote in person with a new ballot. He said he would address his staff about spoiled ballots but added that this did not happen often. He was professional and sincere in his apology. I invited him to discuss the issue on the “Dimitri: Live & Dangerously Local!” show Monday morning but he declined since he said he would be busy with elections preparations. I requested that he submit a statement on spoiled ballots but have not yet received one as of Monday afternoon.
Encouraged by Moore’s assurance I could vote in person, I returned to the Belmont County Board of Elections Friday afternoon around 2 p.m. Unfortunately, my experience was worse than the morning. I was greeted by an older woman who later admitted her name was Cindy. She refused to identify herself when I asked at first.
Like her morning counterpart, Cindy told me to deposit my ballot in the drop box and when I declined, she told me to go into another room and fill it out. I told her I wanted to vote in person and spoil the absentee ballot. She seemed agitated and told me to stand in line for the official at the counter, which I did.
At the counter, I finally met a competent worker who spoiled my absentee ballot and provided me with a new one without hesitation, questioning or deterrence. Finally, I was able to vote.
When I left the Belmont County Board of Elections, I contacted Hutchinson at the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office to report that I voted, but had to deal with another confused worker. She was happy I voted and assured me that the Belmont County Board of Elections staff needed “additional training” and that she notified Director Moore. She thanked me for my report and perseverance.
How many other Belmont County voters were deterred from voting due to poorly trained staff? Hopefully, the staff can receive the information they need to ensure future elections run smoothly. Voting shouldn’t be this hard.
River News Network will follow up on the election process.
