The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Volunteers offer help with drive-up sessions
Local helpers are offering assistance to those confused about how to vote — while taking precautions against the novel coronavirus — in the upcoming Nov. 3 election.
On Aug. 29, volunteers began a series of drive-up voter information sessions to help Vermilion residents register to vote, check their registration status or request a ballot by mail.
Volunteers Patty Kishman and Georgianne Tarrant set up the station in the driveway of United Church of Christ Congregational, 990 State St., Vermilion.
Voters may want help due to any number of potential roadblocks to applying for ballots or voting in person.
Among the difficulties, voters may not have access to a printer at home. If they have computers, online searches yield many websites that may be challenging to sift through.
Voters may sit out this election if they are confused about mailing in ballots and worried about the spread of COVID-19 by voting in person, Kishman said.
“Plus, I just think that today it’s really important that everybody votes,” Kishman said. “You know, a lot of people say I’m not going to vote this time, it’s too complicated, the virus is a scary thing. But I think today more than ever, every vote matters.”
Americans have rights and responsibilities as citizens, so Tarrant said she hoped to help others secure their right to vote. “We’re facilitators,” she said.
They and the church offered the help as a community service and did not represent a political organization or candidate.
Kishman and Tarrant also handed out bookmarks from the non-partisan League of Women Voters, which offers impartial information about candidates. They thanked the League for the materials but noted they did not represent the League at the local event.
More free sessions are planned.
Once voters fill out the ballot applications, voters may mail them in or, the church volunteers will deliver the applications to the board of elections offices in both Erie and Lorain counties.
After applications are received by the board of elections, ballots will be mailed out beginning Oct. 6. Ballots are mailed only to registered voters who submit applications.
A new application must be submitted for each election and voters should submit only one application for an absentee ballot for the coming election.
Absentee ballots must be returned to the board of elections office no later than 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3. By mail, they must be postmarked no later than Nov. 2.
It is important for Ohioans to check on their registration status, Kishman said.
In the last year, Ohio made national news when it was discovered about 250,000 people were purged from voter rolls, with nearly 20 percent removed in error.
“It’s shocking how many people were bumped off the rolls and the secretary of state’s office admits that,” Kishman said. “Every single person should check their status this time around and it’s easy to do if you know how. But if you can’t do the Googler, we’ll help you.”
Voters may need to update registration if they moved or changed names by getting married or divorced.