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Ballot Box Bulletin
Volume 4, Issue 2 • October 2014
My
My Right
ote
My Responsibility
From the Desk of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted
Dear Precinct Election Official:
I hope this summer has been productive and enjoyable for all of Ohio’s Precinct
Elections Officials and Voting Location Managers.
That second term may be new to most of you. A law going into effect for the
November 4 General Election has changed the title “Presiding Judge” to “Voting
Location Manager.” That’s one of the handful of changes that will affect your work
this Election Day. Other changes clarify how you assist voters with disabilities, enable
many voters who have changed their names to cast a regular ballot and allow the
provisional voter’s envelope to also serve as a voter registration for future elections.
My office and your county board of elections have been working to implement these
and other changes. This edition of the Ballot Box Bulletin contains more information
on how the new laws will affect you. In addition, other publications, such as the
Precinct Elections Official Manual, online training course and Quick Reference Guide
have been updated.
Other sections of this edition of the Ballot Box Bulletin will focus on what this
election means for voting locations and some examples of why every vote counts.
As always, thank you for your service this and every election and for your hard
work to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat in Ohio. If there are topics you
would like featured in upcoming issues of the newsletter, please let us know by
e-mailing [email protected].
Jon Husted, Ohio Secretary of State
Secretary of State Online Precinct Election Official
Training Course
If you are working the polls on November 4, 2014, there is still time for you to log on and take the Secretary
of State’s Online Precinct Election Official course if you have not already done so. The course is available
24 hours per day, seven days per week up until 5:30 a.m. on Election Day.
Website: www.ohiopollworkertraining.sos.state.oh.us
Username: Your e-mail address • Password: 114vote
Toll-Free Technical Support: 1-888-521-2262
Page 1
Changes In Law Affect Elections This Fall
This year, the Ohio General Assembly made several
changes to Ohio’s election laws. Here’s what you
need to know about these changes.
Precinct Election Officials – R.C. 3501.22
A poll worker now is referred to as a Precinct Election
Official or a PEO. A presiding judge now is referred to as a
Voting Location Manager or a VLM. A PEO has the same
responsibilities as a poll worker, and a VLM has the same
responsibilities as a presiding judge.
If a board of elections has more than one precinct voting in
a single location (i.e., a multi-precinct polling location), it can
designate the same individual to serve as the Voting Location
Manager for all of the precincts in the location. The board
can also combine the poll books for each precinct in that one
location into a single poll book for the entire voting location.
For any special election, if a board of elections determines that
four PEOs are not necessary to staff the precinct, the board
may select two of the precinct’s election officers who are not
members of the same political party to staff the precinct for
that special election.
10-Minute Rule – R.C. 3505.23
A voter may occupy a voting compartment or use a voting
machine for no more than 10 minutes when all compartments
or machines are being used. This 10-minute limit does not
apply to any voter requiring the use of a disabled-accessible
voting machine. Despite the 10-minute rule, PEOs should offer
each voter a reasonable amount of time to mark and check his
or her ballot. If a voter is taking an unusual amount of time to
vote, a PEO should ask the voter if he or she needs assistance.
Driver’s License or State Identification Card with Voter’s
Former Address – R.C. 3501.01(AA)
An Ohio driver’s license or state identification card with the
voter’s former address has always been an acceptable form of
voter identification to cast a regular ballot when the voter’s
current address is printed in the poll book. Previously, a PEO
was required to record the last four digits of that voter’s
driver’s license or state identification card number in the
poll book. This is no longer required. An Ohio driver’s license
or state identification card with a former address is still
acceptable identification for voting, and the PEO does not need
to record the last four digits of the identification number in the
poll book.
Change of Name Voters – R.C. 3503.16
If a voter has legally changed his or her name but has not
moved to a new precinct, the voter may be eligible to cast a
regular ballot (instead of a provisional ballot) if the voter:
1) provides proof of the legal name change to the PEO and
2) completes and signs Form 10-L. Form 10-L was created for
this type of voter. Proof of the name change can be a marriage
license, court order, or other document that includes both the
voter’s current and prior names. The top portion of the 10-L
provides the board of elections with the information that it
needs to update the voter’s registration with the voter’s new
name. The bottom portion of the form serves to document
what proof of name change was provided by the voter.
If a voter legally changed his or her name and moved to a new
precinct, the voter must be given a provisional ballot.
Provisional Ballots – R.C. 3505.182 and R.C. 3505.183
The provisional ballot affirmation statement is new, and its
contents are prescribed by law. There is no longer a voter
registration/change of address form on the back of the
provisional envelope. If a provisional voter properly completes
the affirmation statement on the front of the envelope, the
board can update the provisional voter’s information or
register the provisional voter for future elections.
A provisional voter must provide five items in the provisional
ballot affirmation. The five items are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The voter’s printed name;
The voter’s current address;
The voter’s date of birth;
Acceptable identification; and
The voter’s signature.
Acceptable identification for a provisional ballot is one of the
following: the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security
number; the voter’s Ohio driver’s license or state identification
card number; military identification; or a copy of a current
(within the last 12 months) utility bill (including cell phone
bill), bank statement, government check, paycheck, or
other government document (but not a voter registration
acknowledgement notification mailed by a board of elections)
that shows the voter’s name and current address. The
provisional voter can write in the last four digits of his or her
social security number or write-in his or her Ohio driver’s
license or state identification number on the provisional ballot
affirmation. Alternatively, the voter can show the PEO another
form of acceptable identification (listed above) and check the
box next to the form of identification shown.
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If the provisional voter is not able to provide any acceptable
identification, he or she may appear at the board of elections’
office within the seven days after the election to provide
identification. The Provisional Ballot Notice (SOS Form 12-H)
that the PEO gives to each provisional voter provides this
information.
Wrong Precinct Voters – R.C. 3505.181
SOS Form 12-D is statutory and must be used when a voter
insists on casting a provisional ballot in the wrong precinct of
a multi-precinct polling location. The form serves to document
the fact that the precinct election official informed the voter
that he or she was in the wrong precinct of a multi-precinct
polling location and directed the voter to the correct precinct,
but the voter insisted on casting a provisional ballot in the
wrong precinct.
If a voter appears in the wrong precinct but correct polling
location, the PEO needs to advise the voter that he or she
is in the wrong precinct, direct the voter to the correct
precinct, and inform the voter that, if the voter decides to
vote in the wrong precinct, the voter’s provisional ballot will
only be counted for the contest the voter’s eligible to vote.
If the voter insists on voting in the wrong precinct, the PEO
needs to complete SOS Form 12-D and attach it to the voter’s
provisional ballot envelope.
If a voter appears in the wrong precinct of a single precinct
polling location, the PEO should advise the voter that he or she
is in the wrong precinct and polling location, direct the voter
to the correct precinct and polling location, and provide the
voter with the telephone number of the board of elections, in
case the voter has additional questions. If the voter insists on
casting a provisional ballot in the wrong precinct of a single
precinct polling location, the PEO should allow the voter to do
so but explain to the voter that the ballot cannot be counted.
A Wonderful Tool: The Ohio Secretary of State’s Website
Have you visited the Secretary of
State’s website lately? It is packed full
of wonderful information.
The Voters tab offers a wealth of
knowledge. Whether it’s how to
check your voter registration, change
your address online, locate answers
to frequently asked questions or
download a Voter Information Guide,
you will find valuable resources that
you can use to help your family, friends
and neighbors better understand the
voting process.
From the Election Results and Data
tab you can view state election results
from 1940 to present. Did you know
in November of 1949 a state issue was
passed to permit the manufacture and
sale of colored oleo margarine? (Ohio
must have wanted that colored oleo
because it passed by 1,183,133 votes.)
There is also a page just for you! The
Precinct Election Officials tab offers
training materials, past newsletters as
well as a message from the Secretary.
Take a quick look. You’ll be glad
you did!
www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov
The Governor’s Election Affects You as a
Precinct Election Official
Did you know or ever wonder why the Voting Location
Manager (VLM) has to be affiliated with a specific political
party?
According to the Ohio Revised Code 3501.22, after each
gubernatorial general election, Ohio Boards of Elections have
the task of making sure all of their precincts have a Voting
Location Manager that is of the same political party whose
candidate received more votes than any other candidate for
governor received in that particular precinct.
Each precinct should remain that way until the next
gubernatorial election, at which time it will be evaluated again.
We understand that sometimes it is difficult when someone
has been the VLM and now the reins need to be handed over
to someone else. However, remember the Board of Election is
following state law.
So when you hear people say that their vote doesn’t count,
here is another example of how every vote makes a difference.
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Mary Butler - Lorain County
Mary Butler is the Lorain County nominee for a 2014 PEO Red
Carpet Award. Mary has tirelessly served the Lorain County
Board of Elections for more than 19 years in a wide variety
of capacities in over 40 elections and is well deserving of this
award.
Mary currently serves as the Voting Location Manager at the
Lorain County Community College on Election Day. As such,
Mary is directly responsible for the operation of one of the
county’s largest voting locations with five precincts and a staff
of more than 22 Precinct Election Officials.
When you have Mary as a Voting Location Manager you
actually get a package deal. Mary always serves with her
husband Robert and her two assist dogs. Mary supervises the
operation of her vote center from a motorized wheelchair.
She brightly greets every voter and always welcomes polite
hellos from voters to her two canine companions, French Fry
and Zoomba. Zoomba is politely referred to as “Zoom-Zoom”
because when she is allowed to run free she is unstoppable,
much like Mary.
Mrs. Butler excels as a manager by
ensuring every voter is treated fairly
and promptly. She relates comfortably
with all of the other PEOs as well as
the voters. She is the first one at her
center and the last one to leave.
Another great asset that Mary Butler brings to the Board of
Elections in Lorain County is her ability to keep all of us on
track with the Americans with Disabilities Act as it applies to
polling places. Mary has served as an advocate for Ohioans
with disabilities for decades and brings her expertise to the
voting professionals in Loraine County. For the past nine years
she has served as the Systems Change Coordinator at the
Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC). She is quick to
offer suggestions and guidance to her fellow Voting Location
Managers in regards to how best to speak with and assist the
diverse community of Lorain County.
Lorain County and the State of Ohio congratulate and recognize
Mary for her commitment and dedication as a precinct election
official.
PIC-G Team - Fairfield County
Sam & Charlotte Crist
Charles & Nancy Ashley
The Fairfield County Board of Elections
is proud to nominate the members
of Precinct PIC-G, at Peace United
Methodist Church, as their PEO
Red Carpet Nominees. This group is
comprised of Sam and Charlotte Crist
and Charles and Nancy Ashley. As a
group, these devoted citizens deliver
consistently accurate, fair and honest
results each Election Day.
Mr. and Mrs. Crist have been working
as Precinct Election Officials since 2008.
Sam has been the Voting Location
Manager at PIC-P since 2011. Since
retiring, the Crists are busy looking after
their four grandchildren, ages 15, 13,
eight and six. Even with their baseball,
basketball and church
functions, Sam and
Charlotte make it
a priority to serve
Fairfield County at
each election. The
Crists are so dedicated that they cut their
Florida vacation short this past spring in
order to attend the board’s mandatory
training sessions for the primary
election.
Charles Ashley started as a PEO in 2009
followed by Nancy Ashley, who joined
the PIC-G group in 2010. Charles and
Nancy were married 34 years ago while
in the United States Army. They keep
busy with Masons, Toastmasters and
three grandchildren. They truly enjoy
serving at the polls. Nancy stated that
she makes sure to mark her calendar
every year so as not to schedule anything
that would conflict with the elections.
They are happy to give back to their
community.
Congratulations Sam, Charlotte,
Charles and Nancy for your bipartisan
commitment to ensuring a smooth
election for the voters of PIC-G in
Fairfield County.
Page 4
Alexa Baldwin - Montgomery County
Alexa Baldwin
works as a
Voting Location
Manager for the
Montgomery
County Board of
Elections. Her
responsibilities and
duties include setting up her location and
machines the day prior to the election,
assisting voters on Election Day, on-site
training for new PEOs, and returning
supplies to the Board of Elections at the
end of Election Day.
During the May 2014 primary election,
Alexa determined that there was a gas
leak at her polling location. She quickly
and calmly evacuated the building,
called the local fire department, and set
up voting outside the building at a safe
distance. No voter was turned away, and
Alexa’s calm and take-charge attitude
helped to ensure that all PEOs and voters
were safe.
Alexa is a full time college student at
Sinclair Community College, and began
working with the Montgomery County
Board of Elections as a senior in high
school with the “Youth at the Booth”
program. After high school, Alexa
continued to work election cycles as a
Voting Location Manager.
Alexa’s hard work and dedication to
school and her job make her an asset
to the community, the voters, and the
Montgomery County Board of Elections.
On Behalf of the Montgomery County
Board of Elections and the citizens of
Ohio, We congratulate Alexa Baldwin for
her loyal service as a precinct election
official.
Allen and Seneca Counties Share How They Broke the Tie
Could you, a family member, a friend, or the neighbor up the
street decide an election? Believe it or not, the fate of several
candidates in the past few elections could have been decided
by just one vote.
In the May 6, 2014 primary election there were seven counties
with eight contests and in the November 2013 election, 10
counties with 12 contests, where a registered voter that didn’t
vote could have made all the difference. Instead, these races
were decided by a flip of a coin, pull of a card, roll of the dice,
colored K-cup or horseshoe being pulled from a bag. According
to Ohio Revised Code 3505.33, if the candidates to be elected
to an office received an equal number of votes, such tie
shall be resolved by lot by the chairman of the board in the
presence of a majority of the members of the board.
We asked a few Boards from across the state how they decided
on a method to break these tie votes and declare a winner.
Allen County Board of Elections
Seneca County Board of Elections
Allen County had a unique situation with a three-way tie
for two at large seats up for election. Traditional methods
of breaking a tie wouldn’t work so their challenge was to
find a solution that would allow two of the three to be
selected but was still fair and did not give any candidate
more opportunity to win. They used a “door prize” method
with “Keep this Coupon” numbered tickets and drew two at
one time. The two corresponding candidates were declared
the winner.
The county’s Republican Central Committee was elected
this May and one race resulted in a tie.
Some other fascinating statistics from that contest:
•
•
•
•
•
It was a vote-for-four contest; one and two won
outright.
The three candidates tied with 49 votes each.
There were 71 “under-votes” in that race.
153 people who were registered in the precinct did not
vote at all
One of the candidates who tied said their daughter was
going to vote for him and one of the others who tied,
but she never voted.
At a board meeting we were discussing how we should
break the tie when one of the members held up two
differently colored K-cups (a plastic container with a coffee
filter inside designed to brew a single serving) – one brown
and one white. He suggested that we designate which
candidate would be represented by white or brown, throw
the K-cups into a large duffle bag and draw out the winner,
which was agreed upon. A hand plunged into the bag and
pulled out one K-cup and that candidate was declared the
winner.
Karl Erbland, Director of the Seneca County Board of
Elections liked the uniqueness of the tie-breaker tools
and decided to mount them in a special display box in our
Board of Elections office for use in future decisions. They
sure beat a coin flip or dueling pistols! Coffee or Tea?
Page 5
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted Shares the Message:
Every Vote Counts.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Secretary of State Husted Reminds Ohioans: One Vote Matters
“When a single vote can have such a big impact in so many places, you can understand why we focus so heavily on
accuracy of the voter rolls and the integrity of the elections process, and why we encourage every voter to take their
right and responsibility to vote seriously.
“Close elections reinforce our focus to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat in Ohio.”
Read more about Secretary Husted’s efforts to make it easy to vote (here) and (here), to keep Ohio’s voter rolls
accurate and up-to-date (here), and on his vigilance in combating voter fraud and voter suppression (here) and (here).
Monday, July 7, 2014
Secretary of State Husted Reminds Ohioans Every Vote Counts
Number of local races and issues decided by just one vote in 2014 Primary Election
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted again stressed the importance of every vote, providing more evidence that a single
vote can determine the outcome of an election. In fact, in the 2014 Primary Election 19 local races and four local
issues were decided by one vote or through breaking a tie.
“This is more evidence that a single vote can make a difference,” Secretary Husted said. “In less than a year, 63 races
in Ohio have been decided by one vote. This underscores the importance of election access and integrity, and why it is
so important to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”
23 Ohio
counties in
which recounts
were conducted
Out of those counties...
19
local officials
elected by one vote
local issues,
including tax
levies, decided
by one vote
*Based on the 2014 Primary Election.
Page 6
You Can Make a Difference - Be a Torchbearer!
Bronwen Evener – Elections Training Specialist
As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors
and friends, we often think about the example we are
presenting to those who are important to us. We know
research has shown that what we do, say and value is as
important as what we are seen doing. Our actions are
often mimicked by the younger generations who are in
our lives.
You have an opportunity to share the value of being a
Precinct Election Official. By working the polls not only
are you helping your local community but you are also
making sure our democracy, that is so important but
fragile, continues from one generation to the next.
We may be showing the next generation that the giving
of our time to their local sports or civic clubs, helping
to raise money for a cause near and dear to us, or
supporting our local church or organization is important,
and it is. However by being a Precinct Election Official,
what some may say, “is a long, long day for very little
pay,” is really so much more. You are carrying out what
our founding fathers fought so hard to preserve. We have
heard time and time again from new PEOs, “my mom was
a poll-worker for years; my grandparents had a voting
location at their house.” And now you are carrying on
that torch or starting a new tradition that those looking
up to you may follow.
So the next time your local Board of Elections recruiter
calls to see if you are able to serve in the upcoming
Election, say, “I’ll be there and I’m going to see if I can get
my son, daughter or sister to work too!”
Remember you have a torch to pass!
The Bridge Builder
An old man going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide.
Through which was flowing a sullen tide
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day,
You never again will pass this way;
You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build this bridge at evening tide?”
The builder lifted his old gray head;
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followed after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been as naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”
Refer a friend!
Do you know someone who
would make a great
Precinct Election Ofﬁcial?
Be sure to tell
them Ohio
needs their
help for the
November
2014 General
Election.
Be a
in O-hi-o
Will Allen Dromgoole 1860–1934
www.PEOinOHIO.com
Page 7
County Match
Ex. Franklin
1. Adams
2. Allen
3. Ashland
4. Ashtabula
5. Athens
6. Auglaize
7. Belmont
8. Brown
9. Butler
A. 70 precincts and is named for the French term
meaning “beautiful mountain”
B. 45 precincts and is the home of Mohican State
Park
C. 66,462 registered voters and used to be part of
the Great Black Swamp
D. 284 precincts and is located between
Cincinnati and Dayton
E. Where thousands found freedom on the
Underground Railroad
F. 23 precincts and is the home of Serpent Mound
State Memorial
G. 43,570 registered voters—and is the home of
Hocking Hills State Park
H. 39 precincts where the county courthouse was
built in 1894
I. 104 precincts and is the home of America’s
longest and shortest covered bridges
Code: 1–F, 2-C, 3-B, 4-I, 5-G, 6-H, 7-A, 8-E, 9-D
J. Host of the Ohio State Fair
It’s a Date...
• November 1
Applications for absentee ballots for Nov.
4 general election to be mailed must be
received by boards of elections by noon
(3 days before general election)
• November 4
General Election Day
Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Absentee ballots, returned in person or
via a method other than U.S. Mail, must
be received by the boards of elections by
close of polls
• November 15
Boards of elections may begin official
canvass of Nov. 4 general election ballots
(11 days after general election)
• November 25
Boards of elections must complete
canvass of Nov. 4 general election ballots
no later than this date
(21 days after general election)
Page 8
School Your Parents
Create a poster or video explaining
the importance of voting
Poster & Video Contest
Winning submissions will be featured
during the 2014 General Election.
Earlier this year, we asked Ohio students to demonstrate their
creativity by submitting a poster or video explaining the importance
of voting for our “School Your Parents” public service announcement
contest. While selecting a winner from the more than 100 entries
was a tough task, we picked a poster and a video we are proud to
share with other Ohioans.
We have shipped these posters to boards of elections throughout the
state to be displayed in their office and be added to their precinct
supply kits for display on Election Day at the polls. Additionally,
the video is available to be viewed on our YouTube Channel at
OhioSOSHusted.
Form No. 10-L Prescribed by Secretary of State (06-14)
Take a Peek,
It’s New…
If a registered elector provides proof of a
legal name change to a Precinct Election
Official - such as a marriage license or a
court order that includes the elector’s
current and prior names—the elector
may complete and sign a notice of change
of name and cast a regular ballot, so long
as the elector is registered to vote in that
precinct.
• PEOs should use Secretary of State
Form 10-L to document a change of
name on Election Day
• A voter that moves from one
precinct to another must still vote a
provisional ballot
NOTICE OF CHANGE OF NAME
R.C. 3503.16(B)(1)(b)
Voter’s new legal name:
_________________________________________________________
Voter’s former name: ________________________________________________________________
Voting residence address:
Street Address__________________________________________________________________________
City, Village, or Post Office ________________________________________________________________
County ________________________________________________
Zip Code ______________________
Birth date ____________/___________/__________
(Month)
(Day)
(Year)
Your Ohio driver’s license number___________________________, or, if you do not have a driver’s license,
(begins with two alphabet letters followed by six numbers)
The last four digits of your Social Security number ______________, or, if you have neither,
Please check this box indicating that you have none of the above.
I hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, I am a citizen of the United States, have lived in this state
for 30 days immediately preceding this election, and am at least 18 years of age.
X____________________________________________________
(Signature of Voter)
X __________________________________
(Date Signed)
Your former signature: ______________________________________
WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------INSTRUCTIONS TO PRECINCT ELECTION OFFICIAL:
1. Verify the address provided by the voter above matches the address printed in the pollbook. If the addresses are
different, but the address above is in your precinct (based on the precinct street listing), then the voter may cast a
regular ballot. If the addresses are different and the address above is not in your precinct, direct the voter to the
correct precinct where they may cast a provisional ballot.
2. Check the appropriate box indicating type of legal proof of name change provided:
Marriage license
Court order
Other: _________________________________________________
3. Precinct Election Official Signature: ______________________________________
180 East Broad Street, 15th Floor • Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-6826 • Toll-Free: (888) 521-2262
TTY Toll-Free: (877) TTY-OHIO (889-6446) • TTY: (614) 728-3295
[email protected] • www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov
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