JEFFERSON —
A report that detailed expenses related to the Aug. 7 special election, which will result in bills to three school districts and a village, was approved at a Monday afternoon meeting of the Ashtabula County Board of Election.
The election cost nearly $62,000 to mount, an expense that will be borne by the entities that placed issues on the ballot. Here’s a break down of the expenses:
Ashtabula Area City Schools ($31,242); Geneva Area City Schools ($15,281); Jefferson Area Local Schools ($14,612); and Geneva-on-the-Lake ($786). County commissioners will front the election board the money, then remove the funds from the entities’ settlement revenue next year, said Carol Lovas, election board director.
The school districts each sought extra operating revenue, while GOTL requested a boost in its income tax for municipal expenses. The village issue was the only one approved by voters.
Expense data is contained in a report compiled by a consultant hired by the election board. The cost of the $2,400 report is included in the chargebacks that will be assessed the four entities.
The board is expected to meet Aug. 28 to certify the results of the special election.
In related news, a couple of glitches that popped up during the special election will provide poll worker training fodder for the general election. Poll workers erroneously allowed two people to vote in the right precinct but the wrong polling spot, Lovas said. Some workers may have had a “lackadaisical” attitude about the election because of the small number of issues, she said.
The problem, which didn’t negate the voters’ ballots, will become a lesson for worker training sessions this fall, Lovas said.
In other business, board members added one independent candidate to the Nov. 6 general election ballot and accepted the departure of another. Petitions filed by attorney Gary Pasqualone of Geneva for the Eastern County Court judgeship were approved by the board. Pasqualone will challenge incumbent Robert Wynn for the position.
Members also agreed to withdraw the candidacy of Todd Brainard of Roaming Shores, who had filed as an independent candidate for the county recorder’s race. In a letter to the board, Brainard said his job situation has changed since filing, making it difficult for him to find time to campaign. Barbara Schaab (Democrat) and Corrie Leehan (Republican) will vie for the position.
Also, the board formally adopted the in-person, absentee voting days and hours leading up to the fall election stipulated by Jon Husted, Ohio secretary of state. Huston handed down the directive to “level the playing field” and “to ensure the presidential election in Ohio will be uniform, accessible for all, fair and secure,” according to the directive.
Here are the hours the Ashtabula County election board, and every other county election board, will follow for in-person, absentee voting. Any county voter may request and vote an absent voter ballot in person during these regular business hours:
n Oct. 2-5 — 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Oct. 9 — 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
n Oct. 10-12 — 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Oct. 15-19 — 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Oct. 22-26 — 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Oct. 29-Nov. 1 — 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Nov. 2 — 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
