Extra voting continues with extra hours this week
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (May 24, 2023) – Tuscarawas County’s election office is staying open late all this week for voters who don’t want to wait until next Tuesday to cast their ballots.
Board of Elections Director Gail Garbrandt says early voting continues at the courthouse with extended weekday evening hours to make up for the ones that were eliminated the Monday before the election.
“We actually open in the morning at 7:30 through Friday this week, and then we are open until 7:30 at night with the exception of Tuesday. We are actually open until 8:30 pm because that is the last day to request an absentee ballot.”
The form to print to request a ballot is on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website. Garbrandt recommends returning it directly to the drop box along Ashwood Lane to save on postage and ensure it arrives on time.
“If they don’t have a printer at home, they can call our office and we’re happy to print them if they would like to come pick them up. If we mail them out, then they run into the danger of not getting it back in time for them to get the ballot and to have the ballot counted.”
Weekend early voting hours remain unchanged from past elections, running from 8 to 4 Saturday and 1 to 5 Sunday. Garbrandt says whether you’re planning to cast a ballot at the courthouse or your polling location on election day, don’t forget to bring photo identification, which is now required for all in-person voters.
“You can use a U.S. passport now and you can use a U.S. passcard, which you could not use in the past, but you cannot use a utility bill, a bank statement, a credit card statement, a check. It has to be an Ohio ID card or an Ohio driver’s license that’s not expired.”
If you don’t have a photo id, you can get one for free from the BMV.