1. “Suffrage”
“Franchise”

2. Voting is State Regulated

3. States control most of election law and procedure
Nationwide: 500,000+ office holders of over 90,000 positions!
Ohio Secretary of State
Jon Husted (R)

4. General Elections vs. Primary Elections vs. Special Elections

5. Federal Control of Elections
Constitution: Congress can fix time and place of congressional and presidential elections
When is Election Day?

6. Federal Control of Elections
“shall be the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even numbered years”
Presidential same every 4 years

7. Federal Control of Elections
Congress has intervened when it was necessary to ensure fairness and to improve the system

8. Federal Restrictions on the States
Race ( ? Amendment)
Men and Women ( ? )
No poll taxes ( ? )
Maximum age of 18 ( ? )

9. Federal Restrictions on the States
Property? Hill v. Stone 1975
14th Amendment Equal
Protection Clause
Cannot discriminate or draw unreasonable distinctions between persons
So…for example…what about Felons???

10. State Restrictions on Felons
Only Florida, Kentucky, and Virginia have lifetime bans
48 states prohibit current inmates from voting
Only Vermont and Maine allow inmates to vote

11. OHIO’S Restrictions on Felons
Ohio: parolees can vote
Ohio: in jail on a felony: your voter registration is cancelled!

12. Ohio Voting Eligibility
18 by general election day (17 in primary)
Must be registered
Citizen of the U.S.
Resident of Ohio for 30 days prior to election
You are not incarcerated on a felony
You have not been declared incompetent by probate court

13. How to Register in Ohio? BOE’s BMV Libraries High Schools
Designated state and County Offices
Many, many other locations
CANNOT REGISTER ONLINE (changing soon! This summer?)
Must be registered 30 days prior in OH

14. May a college student register and vote from his or her school address in Ohio?
It depends. A college student may vote using his or her Ohio school residence address if the student does not intend to return to a different permanent address. When a college student registers to vote from his or her school address, the school residence is considered to be the place to which the student's habitation is fixed and to which, whenever the student is absent, the student intends to return, and is considered by the student to be his or her permanent residence at the time of voting. Any other previous residence for voting purposes is no longer valid. It is illegal for a person to register and vote from two different addresses.

15. State Responsibilities:
Oversee the implementation by the 88 Counties in Ohio

16. State Responsibilities
Two Types of Voting Machines MOST COMMONLY used today:
#1 Direct Recording Electronic* (touchscreens)
#2 Optical Scan (“scantron”)

17. State Responsibilities
Old “punch card” system obsolete

19. Electronic Voting Machines
FOR
Against
Easy to use
No mistakes, less uncounted ballots
Disabled persons
Languages
Main concern: hackers!
Most lack a paper trail

20. State Responsibilities:
Two Types of Ballots used

21. State Responsibilities:
146 Precincts in Greene Co.
Fewer Polling Places
Voting Precincts Map

23. BHS

24. County Implementation
Poll Workers and Poll Watchers

25. Media, Pollsters & Campaigners
Can you match the people with where they must be on election day?
Media, Pollsters & Campaigners
Anywhere (protected by 1st Amendment)
Must stay 100 feet from entrance
Can be anywhere but inside

29. Any registered voter can vote by mail
Absentee Voting
Any registered voter can vote by mail
Deadlines
Beyond that…a lot of different details such as time limits, etc..
If this is something you may do, check online for details

30. Any registered voter can vote early, in person @ BOE
Early Voting
Any registered voter can vote early, in BOE
This is a hot topic in Ohio right now; courts are involved
Dems support
Reps oppose

33. Can Vote in Primaries ONLY Must be 18 by general election day
17 year-olds in Ohio
Can Vote in Primaries ONLY
Must be 18 by general election day
Candidates only No Issues

34. If there is a problem, it’s usually with your registration.
PROVISIONAL BALLOTS
If there is a problem, it’s usually with your registration.
You can still vote, but your info is verified later and then the ballot is made official, or not.

35. Help America Vote Act 2002
Provide for Provisional voting….if one is challenged, they can still vote and counted once verified
Replace lever-operated and punch cards by 2006
Better trained poll workers
Computerize registration

36. Why would I be given a Provisional Ballot?
Name not in Signature Book
Lacks proper I.D. / Refuses to show I.D.
Name Change, did not update voter reg.
Moved from one precinct to another w/o updating voter registration
Marked as an absentee, or early voter
Voter Reg. Card returned as undeliverable
You are being challenged

37. Voters who are blind, disabled, or illiterate
Voter may have a person of their choice help them in the polling booth

38. “Curbside” Voting
Those with disabilities can vote in their vehicles

39. Various other bits of info….
Write-ins – list of approved candidates
Time Limits – 5 minutes (not strictly enforced)

40. Party Identification
The ballot you choose in your primary election is your party of record.

41. YOUR Identification
Ohio state law requires an acceptable identification
Dems oppose
Reps support
Driver’s License, Military i.d., utility bill, bank statement, paycheck

42. Prohibited Identification
Voter Reg. Card
Out of state driver’s license
Social Security Card
Birth Certificate
Insurance cards