Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has issued a call to voters who cast provisional ballots in the recent election to ensure their votes count. With the clock ticking towards the certification of election results, LaRose emphasized that the outstanding votes could potentially sway tight races, including a pivotal congressional seat hanging in the balance. "Every legal vote matters, and there’s still time for Ohioans who voted a provisional ballot to confirm their information and make sure their vote is included in the certified official results,” LaRose stated in a press release sourced from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose ohiosos.gov. The state saw 137,879 provisional ballots yet to be counted on election night.
Provisional ballots often come into play when voters cannot provide satisfactory identification at the polling place immediately. In such instances, voters are notified to return to the county board of elections to verify their information. To assist, LaRose directed all 88 county board elections to stay open during designated hours through Saturday, providing voters a window of opportunity to ensure their eligibility is confirmed urgently. LaRose's office has outlined the process thoroughly to resolve any pending provisional votes quickly.
Under Ohio law, election boards must verify the voter's eligibility and the accuracy of every provisional ballot. Those who did supply acceptable identification while voting provisionally are, for the most part, in the clear. However, some may still need to present further evidence, such as proof of residency or citizenship, or affirm that they did not also submit an absentee ballot. The consequence is foundational, it has a direct impact on the integrity of the democratic process and also on the lives of those awaiting the outcomes influenced by these uncounted ballots.
The post-election provisional ballot curing process is critical because it triggers automatic recounts in races where the final vote is narrower than a 0.5 percent margin. Therefore, LaRose has taken steps to rigorously expedite the confirmation of provisional ballots. Ohioans who are still in the dark about their provisional ballot status or need more information on the process can find assistance and resources at the state's official elections website or directly with their county board of elections.
