What do you get when you combine a 2005 bill removing restrictions on absentee voting with a calendar glitch leaving a week long overlap between the end of voter registration and the beginning of absentee voting: ONE-STOP VOTING.
What does that mean? From Sept. 30 to Oct. 6, Ohioans can walk into their local board of elections, register to vote, and then immediately fill out an absentee ballot for the Nov. 4 election.
This unprecedented election procedure is largely a result of the 2005 bill which allows registered voters to vote in person or via mail from Sept. 30 to Nov. 3 using an absentee ballot without providing a reason. This change to Ohio’s voting procedures is the result of an effort to avoid the Election Day headaches that arose in 2004 when voters across the state faced many hours of waiting at the polls.
This–on its own–is not unique. Over a dozen others states permit early voting, and more than two dozen offer the option to vote with an absentee ballot for any reason. What is unique is the overlap in registration and absentee voting. The scheduling glitch was proposed by the Republican Congress and approved by Former Governor Bob Taft for the 2006 election, but it wasn’t a significant issue until early voting was introduced for the 2008 election allowing one-stop voting.
Republican’s are now crying foul. The GOP is supporting a lawsuit raised by two Cleveland voters asking the state Supreme Court to close down the week long One-Stop Voting Shop. They argue that Ohio law requires newly registered voters to wait 30 days before casting a ballot. Secretary of State Jennifer Burrner has told election boards to go ahead with allowing One-Stop Voting.
It is anticipated that Democrats are better positioned to benefit from One-Stop Voting. Democrats are looking to use the One-Stop Voting window to take advantage the overwhelming support that Barack Obama has received from college students. The Board of Regents report that 90% of the 470,000 students attending Ohio public schools are Ohio residentsand are eligible to vote in the state. Using the One-Stop Voting window to increase the college turnout could provide the Obama campaign with a significant boost. There are also reports that the Obama campaign is organizing voters to vote early in urban areas where Obama will gain from a big voter turnout.
Many issues are emerging around the new early voting policy and One-Stop Voting and it is likely that we will continue to hear discussions of the issues up to, and through, the election. Critics of One-Stop Voting have raised concerns about the increased likelihood of voter fraud and Burrner has sought to provide reassurance that steps are being taken to insure voting consistence. WYSO’s Emily McCord has a report about the challenges the new voting system poses for local candidates. Due to budget constraints, local campaigns typically ramp up during the last few days before the election, but candidates are now finding that they must change their strategies for getting out their messages to voters who may vote early.
To wrap up:
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Early voting begins Sept. 30 and runs through Nov. 3
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One-Stop Voting begins Sept. 30 and runs through Oct. 6 (when registration for the Nov. 4 election closes)
Check out the Greater Dayton League of Women’s Voters for resources on registering and voting.
