By Charlotte Caldwell
[email protected]
SIDNEY — The Shelby County Board of Elections certified the November 2023 general election at a meeting on Nov. 21.
The board reviewed provisional ballot recommendations made by the director and deputy director. They accepted 172 provisional ballots as recommended, including 145 from individuals with a name change or change of address; 20 with unknown reasons why they received a provisional ballot; and seven who voted wrong precinct in a multi-precinct polling location. They rejected 64 provisional ballots, including 57 who were not registered to vote in Ohio and seven who voted in the wrong precinct, not multi-location. For absentee mail ballots received by Nov. 13, 40 were accepted. Nine mail-in ballots were rejected because they were received after Nov. 13.
The board also discussed a new precinct 35 (Washington Township) polling location. In the past, the precinct has used the Lockington church, but the location is now part of the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center and is no longer feasible for voting. Deputy Director Drew Higgins said Washington Township is planning on constructing a new township building but there is no set date for completion and it might not be feasible for voting.
The two options the board reviewed were to send Washington Township voters to the Orange Township voting location or use New Beginnings church located in Washington Township. The board approved working with the church as a future voting location until a better option is available.
The bills filed for audit totaling $17,794.16 were also approved.
At a board meeting on Election Day, Nov. 7, the board approved the 2024 budget; agreed to proceed with approving a final updated comp time payout policy/procedure for full-time staff after the prosecutor’s office has responded to the proposed policy; and approved payments to the precinct election officials who helped with setup and teardown of the polling locations.
The next Board of Elections meeting will be on Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. for the election audit and a regular session.
