Early voting begins Wednesday for Aug. 2 primary election

Jon Baker, The Times-Reporter
·2 min read
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NEW PHILADELPHIA — Early voting begins Wednesday for the Aug. 2 primary election, with very few candidates on the ballot in Tuscarawas County.

"We encourage everyone to get out there and vote," said Gail Garbrandt, director of the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections.

Republicans will be choosing candidates for the state House of Representatives, the state Senate, state central committeeman and state central committeewoman.

State Rep. Brett Hillyer, R-Uhrichsville, is the only person on the ballot for the House, and Tuscarawas County Commissioner Al Landis is the only candidate for state Senate. Doug Wills, chairman of the Tuscarawas County Republican Party, is one of four candidates running for state central committeeman. There is only one candidate for Republican central committeewoman.

There are no Democrats on the ballot for the Ohio House or Senate. Three people are running for state central committeeman, and there is one candidate for state central committeewoman, Martha Campbell, chair of the Tuscarawas County Democratic Party Central Committee.

There are no issues on the ballot.

A second primary was necessary this year because of a lengthy dispute over legislative district boundaries in Ohio.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose estimates the second primary will cost taxpayers between $20 million to $25 million and add to voter confusion. Turnout is expected to be dismal.

Residents in Tuscarawas County can vote early at the board of elections office at the courthouse from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. During the week of July 25, voting hours will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters can also can ballots on Saturday, July 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, July 31, from 1 to 5 p.m.; and Monday, Aug. 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents can also request an absentee ballot by mail. Ballot application forms can be found on the Ohio Secretary of State's website and the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections website. People can request an absentee ballot until noon on July 30, Garbrandt said.

As of Tuesday, the board of elections had received 86 requests for absentee ballots, and another 30 came in the mail on Tuesday, she said. They will be mailed out beginning Wednesday.

On Aug. 2, all 41 polling locations will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Garbrandt said she has enough poll workers for the second primary.

"We are very fortunate in Tuscarawas County that people are very civic-minded and almost every single person we've called has said yes," she said. "We have plenty of poll workers and we are going to be ready to go on Aug. 2 for this second primary election."

The board is still looking for workers for the Nov. 8 general election, she said.

Any voter with questions should call the board of elections at 330-343-8819.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Early voting begins Wednesday for Aug. 2 primary election