Voting in Athens County could be a mail-only operation if both Ohio legislators and county residents decide the convenience is worth the risk.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has discussed legislation that would allow Ohioans to choose whether they would prefer to stay at home to cast their ballot by mail on a county-by-county basis, said Secretary of State's office spokesman Jeff Ortega.
In addition to a potential increase in voter turnout, one of the primary benefits is reduced cost, said Ortega, who cited a survey done with similar circumstances that showed an extra 15 percent saved with the cut in personnel and administration.
No time frame for voting has been established yet, but state legislators could introduce the bill in roughly two to three weeks, he said.-
she said.
Recently-elected chairman of the Board of Elections Bill Lavelle also said he did not know much about the idea yet.
Generally I'm for anything that makes voting easier but this looks like it might be giving people some headaches
Lavelle said.
The state has alternative ways to protect against potential fraud, such as enforcing ID laws or creating secure drop-box locations for the ballots, Ortega said. He compared the possible system to the security provided by the United States Postal Service for absentee ballots.
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