Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted reports there’s a slight increase of 2.4 percent in the number of Ohioans who early voted this year as compared with 2008. 1.3 million mail-in ballots were sent out this year and 87 percent of those have been returned prior to Election Day. About 592,000 Ohioans voted in person at their county’s early-voting centers.
The numbers show early vote totals were down slightly in Cuyahoga, Hamilton and Franklin counties from 2008, but up significantly in some other areas. For example, Wayne county was up 134 percent and Richland was up 127 percent. Franklin county’s early vote total was down more than 12 percent, Cuyahoga was down more than seven percent and Hamilton was down almost five percent.
One important factor to note here: The conditions for early voting have changed since 2008. It now comes down to ground game. Both Republicans and Democrats are trying to turn their voters out to the polls today in what is expected to be a close race in Ohio.
