MIAMI COUNTY — The Miami County Board of Elections met Saturday to discuss its precautionary measures it would be taking due to the state mandated crowd limitations and social distancing requirements.
On Tuesday, in-person voting will only be available for individuals with disabilities who require in-person voting and those who do not have a home mailing address.
Ballots can be dropped off at the board of elections drop-off box located in the plaza between the courthouse and Safety Building until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to the revised code, ballots may be delivered only by the voter or a member of their family.
Ballots must have been postmarked by April 27 and received by May 8 to count. If you already mailed your ballot or voted in person during the early voting period, your ballot will be counted at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 28.
Director Laura Bruns said the elections office, located on the first floor of the Miami County Courthouse, will serve as the “poll” location and will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Voters who requested absentee ballots but did not receive them in time by mail, may come to the office and will be provided a provisional ballot on Tuesday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Bruns said the form would indicate whether or not they requested an absentee ballot by the deadline of noon last Saturday. Bruns gave an example such as those who requested ballots, but failed to update their address, may come in and vote by provisional ballot. Bruns said no one would be denied a provisional ballot on Tuesday, but whether it will count will be up to the law.
“If they submitted a request then that will taken into consideration when we count the provisionals,” Bruns said. Bruns estimated a quarter of absentee ballot applications had an error of some kind such as wrong birth date, ommissions or address errors. Bruns said approximately 300 provisionals have been cast as of Saturday. Most of the errors were able to be corrected over the phone due to a temporary change in the law, Deputy Director Ian Ridgeway said. Bruns said 139 applications to vote by mail failed to provide party requests and numerous attempts to contact them by phone, email and by letter, were unanswered as of Saturday.
Unofficial results will be available prior to 10 p.m. Tuesday. Provisional ballots will be reviewed by the board at 10 a.m. May 9. The board will then meet at 5 p.m. May 11 to vote on the official canvas of the Primary.
Board members gave various comments during the meeting regarding the outstanding efforts of Bruns, Ridgeway and its staff during this spring’s Primary.
