By Christina Panagouleas-Stephens
Contributing columnist
As the voting season approaches, the Board of Elections faces the task of organizing Early Voting and managing Absentee Ballot Applications. We have successfully conducted the Logic and Accuracy tests on all voting equipment and have procured the necessary supplies to ensure a successful election. Given the misleading information that voters may encounter, this article aims to provide clear and factual insights. Please keep in mind that the Board of Elections is readily available by phone to address any inquiries you may have and it is best to find information from websites that end in “.gov” Our phone number at the Board of Elections is 937-440-3900.
Starting the day after the close of voter registration, registered voters may cast an early in-person ballot at their county Board of Elections. Early Voting commenced on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 in the Old Courthouse in downtown Troy at address: 215 West Main Street, Troy, OH 45373. We have had an astonishing number of voters. The turnout has been remarkable, with 939 voters on the first day and 735 voters on the second day of Early Voting. In Miami County and all counties in Ohio, early in-person voting is available until Nov. 3, 2024. All counties are offering extended hours during the early voting period, providing a total of 216 hours to cast their ballot, which includes two weeks of evening hours as well as two Saturdays and two Sundays. Some things to consider when preparing to early vote; we have new Identification requirements in 2023. The forms of Identification that are acceptable now are an Ohio Driver’s License or Ohio State ID, an Interim Identification issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a US Passport or Passport Card or a US Military ID, Department of Veteran’s Affairs ID. As always, make sure your Identification is unexpired. Along with Early Voting being underway, we are also staying very busy processing Absentee Ballot Applications with precision.
Miami County is actively processing Absentee Ballot Applications, with the first batch sent out on Oct. 8, 2024. The Post Office estimates an average of five to seven business days for those to receive their ballot. The deadline to file an Absentee Ballot Application is Oct. 29, 2024. To request an Absentee Ballot, please contact our office or visit www.voteohio.gov. It’s crucial to meticulously complete every section of your Absentee Ballot Application and sign it with your traditional signature, as we will thoroughly review your application, including verifying your signature, confirming your current address and birth date, and ensuring you provide either your Driver’s License number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If there is an issue we will deny your application and send you another to get every aspect properly confirmed.
Last, I would like to introduce myself. I am Christina Panagouleas-Stephens, the newly appointed Deputy Director since April. Previously, I served as a Poll-Worker in Montgomery County. I’ve been immersed in learning the election process from a new angle and have been impressed by the integrity, processes and dedicated staff within the Board. I encourage all voters to check out the Board of Elections website. We have many tools available to assist voters in finding valuable information. As always, we are also happy to answer questions of voters who call or email us. We can be reached at 937-440-3900 or [email protected].
The writer is the deputy director of the Miami County Board of Elections.
