Drive-up drop box for ballots ready

SANDUSKY — There will be a new, easier way to vote come primary day with the installation of a new drop box at the Erie County elections board. "It's more accessible now," said Lori Salyers, the board director. "Voters drive up and can drop off their ballot." The drop box is located on the east side of the Erie County water department building at 2900 Columbus Ave., which was already configured for drive-up access. The drop box can be used for any business voters have with the elections board. "There is no need to leave your car in order to drop off registrations, change of address or name changes to your registration, applications for absentee ballots and, during the election, you can drop your ballots in as this box is checked by staff throughout the day," Salyers said. The area has 24-hour surveillance for protection, safety and secure voting. But when will we vote? But when, exactly, the primary election will happen is still up in the air. State lawmakers were required by amendments to the Ohio constitution to end the practice of gerrymandering, or fixing elections by drawing political maps to favor one party over the other. They failed to follow the law, however, and the Ohio Supreme Court has rejected the maps that Republican statewide leaders approved. Republicans still have not developed maps that meet the requirements of state law, putting the May 3 primary at risk of not being able to happen. Republican Senate president Matt Huffman, a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission who voted for the unlawful maps, offered a costly, cumbersome solution: two primaries, the Columbus Dispatch reported. "I don't see how we can conduct an election for the General Assembly and the congressmen on May 3," Huffman, R-Lima said, according to the Dispatch. "Are we going to penalize everybody else and upset that? No. So, I think we're all searching for solutions." One estimate put the cost at having two primaries at least $15 million. Huffman voted with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, state auditor Keith Faber and Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima for maps that ignored the voter mandates to end gerrymandering. The solution Huffman proposed means leaving out statewide and local elections from the scheduled May 3 primary because candidates cannot meet the deadlines for filing because of the delay in finalizing lawful maps. He proposed having a second primary at a later date for those running for statehouse and congressional seats. Salyers said elections boards across the state haven't been informed about anything as far as how the election will be handled. "We haven't heard anything," she said, when asked about the possibility that there could be two primaries. "We really don't know. We're waiting to hear from the secretary of state." If the May 3 is kept as the primary election date, early voting will start April 5.