Elections director explains new voter id requirements, other changes in store for primary
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Jan. 18, 2023) – Tuscarawas County voting officials are getting ready to implement some of the provisions in Ohio’s new elections law as they await further instruction on others.
Board of Elections Director Gail Garbrandt says they know voters will need a photo id to cast a ballot at the polls on May 2nd but not whether they’ll be provided to people who don’t have one.
“It must be a driver’s license or an id card, and the BMV is supposed to issue identification cards for free, but there was no money appropriated in the bill for that cost so I don’t know how that’s going to shake out.”
There will also be no more early voting at the courthouse the day before elections. Garbrandt anticipates elections offices staying open later the week before since the law reallocates the hours that are being eliminated. However, when they close their doors will be up to the Secretary of State’s Office.
“We are currently waiting on directives from the Ohio Secretary of State, and also the elections officials manual, several of those chapters will have to be rewritten.”
The board will also have to decide which of the ballot drop boxes outside of the courthouse to get rid of since there can only be one per county. Garbrandt says they’ll probably remove the box along Ashwood Lane and keep the one on North Broadway near the streetside parking spaces the county reserves for early voters, which people can use when they drop off their ballots.