SIDNEY — The Shelby County Board of Elections discussed advanced order of ballots, allocations of voting equipment, polling election officials training grant application, elections administration plans and public records requests guidelines during its meeting Monday.
The board approved the number of ballots to be ordered for the November General Election with the understanding that the number of ballots is subject to change by the Secretary of State or by the registration of new voters. The number of ballots ordered was estimated by analyzing the order form from the last non-presidential, even year election; the November 2018 election. Despite approving the ballot order form for the November 2022 General Election, the Board will hold off on ordering the ballots until next month.
The board discussed the allocation of voting equipment for the November election. Approving the allocation of equipment is a two-step process. Monday morning the board discussed necessary changes to their allocations and will approve any changes during their meeting on Oct. 11. The board determined there are no necessary changes to the allocations of voting equipment. Not including the machines allocated to voting locations, the board is equipped with 11 extra voting machines in case of a larger voter turnout or a faulty machine.
The board reminded citizens that registration for voting ends on Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. The Board of Elections office, 230 E. Court St., will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day. Voters can check their registration status at ohiosos.gov.
Also on Monday’s agenda was the approval of a grant request for Polling Election Officials training. The grant application totals $29,000 for advanced training and includes payment for trainers, venue rent, equipment for training and additional de-escalation training with the Sidney Police Department. All PEO’s are trained bi-annually, even those who have experience working as an election official. At least three PEO training classes are currently scheduled for October in preparation for the November election. Discussion of the grant application’s status was added to the agenda for the board’s regular October meeting.
The board approved the submission of their elections administration plan to the Ohio Secretary of State for approval. The EAP must be updated every two years, preceding even numbered year elections. The Secretary of State determines a statewide EAP that counties then tailor to their individual elections and submit to the SoS for approval. The last changes to Shelby County’s EAP were made on July 15, 2022, with the acknowledgement that more changes were possible.
Public records requests were changed during Monday morning’s meeting. The current guidelines are from the Shelby County Board of Elections and are old and inconsistent with the county’s guidelines. The Board decided to return to Shelby County Ohio’s public records requests guidelines because they are more accurate and accessible.
In other news, the board:
• Decided to hold the November voting in the back room of the Board of Elections Building, rather than the front, in anticipation of a large voter turnout.
• Discussed when to present adding the purchase of an electric generator for the BOE Building to the County Commissioners. The BOE wants to submit the generator expenses as part of their 2022 budget, rather than waiting until 2023 when the price will have increased. The board will need to hold a special meeting to approve which price quote to accept.
• Member Douglas Pence introduced a potential need for a paper shredder in the office for the destruction of any documents that might contain confidential information. Member James Kerg raised concerns of the board being accused of shredding documents they should not be destroying. They decided to consult with the Secretary of State’s office and nearby counties.
