SIDNEY – The Shelby County Board of Elections rejected two candidates as part of its certification of candidates and issues for the November election during its monthly meeting Monday morning.
A total of 87 candidates filed to run for village/city council, school board and township trustee positions. Director Pam Kerrigan and Deputy Director Collin Claywell flagged three of the petitions for further review by the board.
One of the flagged petitions, for Jackson Center Village Council, had the incorrect date listed for the election. After a discussion, the board accepted that petition as it did have November 2021 listed and was considered a minor error.
Another petition from James DeVine for Jackson Center Village Council was rejected as the date some of the electors signed the petition, July 26, preceded the date the candidate signed the petition, July 29. It’s a requirement that candidates must sign their petitions before they are circulated for elector signatures.
A petition from Fred Favors for Perry Township trustee also was rejected as two of the three pages of the candidate’s petition weren’t completed.
In total, 26 village/city council petitions, 24 school board petitions and 35 township trustee positions were certified.
The Board of Elections certified tax levies including one for Perry Port Salem Rescue District, one for Van Buren Township, one for Van Buren Township Northwest Fire District and one for Washington Township Fire.
There also are some overlap issues and candidates that are scheduled to appear on Shelby County ballots. Overlap issues include a Minster Local School District permanent improvements tax levy through Auglaize County, a Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services tax levy through Miami County and a Bradford Exempted Village School District bond issue through Miami County.
The deadline for write-in candidates to file petitions for the November election is 4 p.m. Aug. 23.
The board scheduled a demonstration of KNOWiNK’s electronic poll books for 10 a.m. Aug. 31. Participants at the special meeting will include Board of Elections members, board staff, some of the poll workers, Information Technology Manager Joel Glass and Shelby County Engineer Bob Geuy.
The demonstration will be open to the public with the potential for an executive session if sensitive security information is discussed.
Shelby County is looking for a new electronic poll book vendor as it’s the last county in Ohio to use VOTEC Corp, increasing concerns about service from the company. The e-poll books contain a list of eligible voters and help election officials verify voters’ eligibility at polling locations.
The Board of Elections doesn’t expect a large turnout for the November election. Thus, early voting will take place at the front of the board office.
Board member Merrill Asher, who met with the county commissioners, reported work at the Shelby County Fairgrounds this fall could cause small problems for the November election but won’t prevent the Fairgrounds from being used as a polling location. Sewer and drainage improvements are planned for this fall at the Fairgrounds.
Asher also reported planned work on the retaining wall on the west side of the Board of Elections office isn’t moving forward quickly and would start this fall at the soonest.
Kerrigan said she and board member Jim Thompson are continuing to work on a continuity plan to address emergency preparedness and facilities continuity in the instance of disruption. It is mandatory as a result of the Ohio Secretary of State becoming a division of the United States Department of Homeland Security. They are making some language in the plan more specific and hope to have a plan ready by the board’s September meeting.
Plans also are being worked on for procedures for returning materials from polling locations on election night. The board will discuss the procedures more during its September meeting.
The board reviewed its budget through the first six months of the year and found no major issues. The board plans to review its budget every three months with the next review scheduled for October.
Kerrigan said the board’s printer hasn’t been working properly, and the information technology department suggested replacing it. Noting the Board of Elections hasn’t spent any money on equipment this year, the board gave Kerrigan permission to seek the purchase of a new printer.
The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 13. There will be a 10 a.m. Aug. 31 special meeting for the review of electronic poll books.
