Also effective immediately is the mandatory use of new absentee voting request forms. Miller said the old forms – which asked only for the voter’s date of birth and reason for wanting to vote absentee – cannot be processed.
The new forms ask for the voter’s address, birthdate and one of the following: Ohio driver’s license number, last four digits of the Social Security number or copy of a current photo ID, current utility bill, paycheck or government document that shows the voter’s name and address.
The voter is responsible for completely filling out the application. If there are questions, the board will communicate with the voter via a letter.
The new absentee voting ballots are larger and heavier than those used in years past, Miller said, so it will cost more than the traditional 57 cents to mail it back to the election board.
Well, it’s happened. Now you need ID to vote in Ohio. So now the gov’t knows exactly who’s voting how. What better way to keep those opposed to you disenfranchised? Voting reform my ass.
Persons registering by mail after January 1, 2004The person registering must provide identification information when attempting to vote for the first time, unless the person provides his/her current Ohio driver’s license number or the last four digits of his/her social security number on the registration form. The identification information is either:
* a copy of a current and valid photo identification showing your name; or
* a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document showing name and address.
Opposing what the Times-Reporter’s article cites is this from the Sec. of State website
Who can vote absentee?* You will be absent from the county on election day
* You are 62 years of age or older
* You or a family member will be hospitalized on election day
* You have a personal illness or physical disability that prevents you from getting to the polling location
* You are an election official or board of elections employee
* You cannot vote on election day because of a religious belief
* You will be in jail under sentence for a misdemeanor or awaiting trial on a criminal charge
* You are a full-time firefighter, peace officer or full-time provider of emergency medical services, which may prevent you from getting to the polling location
* You are on active duty in the state with the organized militia, which prevents you from getting to the polling location
The T-R says
Now anyone can vote absentee.
Effective immediately, a registered voter who wishes to cast an absentee ballot in Ohio can do so and not give a reason, according to Charles E. Miller, Tuscarawas County Election Board director.
Why do I mention that? Well, it seems to me that Blackwell is once again trying to mix people up. If they look at his site(which isn’t available through the link in the T-R) you won’t know that you can vote absentee if you just don’t feel like going out that day. This doesn’t surprise me at all considering how he had people believing they couldn’t vote in 2004 because they registered with the wrong kind of paper (it now must be 80 weight paper, which is significantly different than regular printer paper and more expensive, if I understand correctly). This was to prevent votes from the young Dems that were registering online. I’m glad that nothing has changed.
It also seems that Diebold has sent the Tuscarawas County electronic voting machines to Illinois and we won’t have ours until March. That gives our election workers little time to learn how to use them. Looks to me like Blackwell will kick-ass in November. Thanks to Diebold and not Ohio voters…grrr.
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