COLUMBUS, Ohio — Secretaries of States all across the country are gearing up for Election Day.
For most of them, it’s their biggest day of the year as they spend months preparing to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Here in Ohio, that job falls to Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose who met with reporters Monday to address the biggest points of emphasis ahead of election day.
LaRose spoke on several topics ahead of the big day. While he said he won’t predict what the final counts will show, numbers for voter turnout data showed about 2.5 million Ohioans voted early.
What You Need To Know
- Secretary of State Frank LaRose said they have been preparing for several months for decision 2024
- Nearly, 2 1/2 million Ohioans voted early
- LaRose talked about several election-related topics, including basic rules, laws in place, and guidance toward poll workers
"We're going to run an election tomorrow where it is both easy to vote and hard to cheat," said LaRose.
LaRose and his team are getting ready for millions of Ohioans to head to the polls on Tuesday. A top priority on their list is keeping everyone safe. This includes both the people who vote, and the poll workers who help make it happen.
“Yeah, well, to be clear, we’ve got layers of law enforcement,” LaRose said. “We’ve got our city, township and village police. We’ve got our county sheriffs. And then, of course, we’ve got our state law enforcement.”
For those heading to the polls, LaRose is reminding everyone to bring proper photo ID. It’s the first presidential election since Ohio passed new photo ID laws. Meanwhile, anyone whose ID identifies them as a non-citizen needs to bring a naturalization document that proves they are a U.S. Citizen.
“We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure first we sent them all a letter to remind them they should update their driver’s license if they haven’t updated their driver’s license,” LaRose said. “Then, we have in place a safeguard where they can bring their naturalization document to prove their citizenship status. And, if they forget to do that, then, of course, they’re offered a provisional ballot and they’ll have the days after the election to make sure that their voice is heard.”
What people can and can’t wear to the polls has been a prompting question. LaRose said anything with a candidate’s name on it is against the rules. But, new guidance will allow clothing with a MAGA logo, or the phrase “I’m with her.” LaRose said no matter what people wear, they won't be denied the chance to vote.
“We are required by law to maintain the idea that there’s no campaigning in a polling location,” said LaRose. “We would draw that line at the candidate’s name.”
"Even though something might not necessarily be illegal," Nazek Hapasha the Policy Affairs Manager at the League of Women Voters Ohio said. "Doesn't mean that it's the best idea to go ahead, and wear a shirt that even indirectly proposes supporting one candidate or another."
Meanwhile, The League of Women Voters Ohio is making sure every Ohioan should know their rights.
"We have been marketing the election protection hotline widely," Hapasha said. "That’s 866 Our Vote, so that anybody with questions or issues to report will have that as a resource. We have had a lot of calls into the hotline.”
“Election day is a no fail mission,” LaRose said. “We have from 6:30 a.m. Until 7:30 p.m. To make sure that millions of Ohioans have the chance to make their voice heard. We won’t be deterred in that in that mission.”