Ross County — May 6th is spring election day, and though there is not much on the ballot in most precincts, voting is a right you can to exercise on Tuesday…as well as Saturday and Sunday.
I caught Deputy Director Jessica Smith at the Ross County Board of Elections on Friday afternoon, and asked her about what to expect. She said there is a statewide bond issue, but in most precincts, that’s all.
Smith said Zane Trace does has a levy renewal, and several precincts including Huntington Township and the City of Chillicothe have a local liquor option.
She said there are no contested candidates in the Democratic or Republican parties for the fall elections, so there are no primaries this spring.
There has been criticism of Chillicothe Council working towards a 2% income tax renewal for city streets, but Smith said her office has not received a petition for that yet.
She said to expect a light crowd at the polls Tuesday, with maybe only a 15% turnout except for Zane Trace Schools. In contrast, November’s local polling numbers may have been around 75%. (I know that in the Clarksburg polling place where I work twice a year for the Board of Election, we probably had a record turnout.)
Speaking of which, if you want decent pay for a long day’s office work, Smith says they will probably welcome new poll workers for November.
Early voting is available at the Ross County Board of Elections, in the Ross County Service Center at 475 Western Avenue in Chillicothe. Hours are 8 to 4 Saturday and 1 to 5 Sunday. There is no voting on Monday.
You can vote on Tuesday from 6:30am to 7:30pm at your designated polling place, or at the Board of Elections.
Smith says that because of a problem with the electronic pollbooks in one county, poll workers will be using paper books to check in voters in all Ohio counties.
Hear her in how own words in the below video interview. The Ross County Board of Elections has a website and Facebook page.
