Voting started earlier this month and ends on November 3rd. Many Ohioans will be glued to their tv’s and computers as election results come in that evening. Most pundits are predicting a close races in 6-12 states that will determine the Presidential Election. In addition, Ohio has many competitive races at the Ohio Statehouse and in our local communities.
The reality though, is we might know who wins on election night, and that is okay. There have been other elections where it takes a few days, weeks or even a month to accurately count the ballots.
Here are five things to know to help you cut through the noise and understand what the numbers actually mean that pop up on the screen throughout November.
Should a delay in results concern us?
NO! In fact, a delay in voting results probably means a more accurate and thorough count in the long-run. However, we will likely hear people accusing partisan officials of messing with numbers if we don’t see results on election night. It is up to us to challenge and stop these rumors!
With extra mail-in voting this year, will we know the election results on November 3rd?
Maybe, but probably not. In Ohio, ballots postmarked on or before November 2nd (MONDAY) will be counted. These ballots may not be received by the board of elections, opened, and processed for a few days. Depending on how many outstanding ballots there are, this could delay the announcement of most races in a county.
In other states, the absentee votes are counted differently. In Ohio, election officials can begin opening and preparing ballots to be counted on November 3rd immediately. However, in other states, envelopes cannot be opened in advance - likely delaying their counts.What is the order for counting ballots in Ohio?
November 3rd - We will likely see some absentee/mail-in/early vote ballot numbers first appear after the polls close on election night. As the night rolls along, in-person voting at precincts will be added to the count.
From November 3rd, to November 13th, additional absentee ballots properly postmarked by November 2nd will be counted.
November 14- 17th our county board of elections will count provisional ballots. Provisional ballots are cast when a person’s voting eligibility is in question. Sometimes this is a bookkeeping error, sometimes a person forgets their ID. In Ohio, we will likely have provisionals related to people having a damaged or lost absentee ballot and they decide to show up to their polling location on election day. As long as that absentee ballot was not cast, their provisional should be counted. Other voters will be required to ‘cure’ a shortcoming (ie. present valid Identification).
The official count never begins on election night. Instead, the official count will begin on November 14th and on November 24th, the official results will be posted - unless a recount is required. All recounts have until December 8th to be completed.
What should we watch for to ensure an accurate and fair count?
Real voter suppression does exist in Ohio, and we need to be vigilant against it to preserve democracy. If you encounter any problems call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Is the intent of the voter coming through? As County officials count ballots, there may be issues - such as somebody forgetting to sign a document, or writing today’s date instead of their birthdate on a form. We need fair and accurate accounting of these types of problems, where people’s intent may not be heard because of paperwork. There may be ‘close calls’ that could wind up in litigation.Logistical problems: Poll workers need to open the polls at 6:30am and allow everyone in line at 7:30pm to vote. This is a long day. Problems with machines, opening late, closing early, running out of provisional ballots have all been issues in Ohio. We saw chaos in Ohio’s 2004 election that could have been prevented. Many reforms since that time have improved some of these concerns, but many still remain.
Intimidation: Finally, we need to be concerned about voter intimidation. Threats of violence, weapons, and other tools have been used in recent US history to intimidate people - especially in low-income, African American communities - to dissuade them from voting. Non-profit leaders, social workers, and faith leaders will be out on election day helping to ensure every voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot.
Who will share accurate information about the vote count?
Follow the Ohio Secretary of State for official counts in late November and early December. Follow your county board of election page. Unlike the media that will use different models to call races, the BOE’s only report actual counts. Also watch for information from the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, Ohio Votes, and others who will monitor the election from a NON-PARTISAN, PRO-DEMOCRACY position.