CLEVELAND — Voter turnout in the August special election was higher than expected statewide, with more than 38% of eligible voters in the state making it to the polls, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s unofficial count.

Metropolitan counties Franklin, Hamilton and Cuyahoga all showed turnout right around 38%.

But the city of Cleveland still voted in significantly less numbers than other suburban precincts in Cuyahoga County.

“With every step of accessing your right to engage and cast your ballot, there are a lot of barriers,” said Erika Anthony, co-founder of Cleveland Votes. “And I think sometimes there’s a lack of acknowledgment of those barriers.”

Cleveland Votes is a non-partisan voter advocacy organization that Anthony started with co-founder Crystal Bryant as initiative to get more formerly incarcerated individuals registered to vote. 

“In time, we started to engage other populations,” Anthony said. “Her and I were working pretty exclusively in social services at that time, so we tapped into our natural network.”

Over time, they’ve partnered with a number of nonprofits that serve low-income and marginalized communities to increase civic engagement, and that work is ongoing. 

According to the Cuyahoga County Board of Election’s unofficial results, the city of Cleveland had a 24% voter turnout in Ohio’s August 8 special election, while wealthy surburbs like Bay Village and Chagrin Falls Township saw numbers above 55%.

Cleveland Votes surveyed residents about attitudes toward voting to learn more about barriers preventing Clevelanders from getting to the polls, and based on their responses, Anthony said low turnout numbers aren’t surprising. 

“You know, we’re not apathetic," Anthony said. "We actually have deep concern about what’s happening in the city of Cleveland, what’s happening in our community, even getting down to our specific neighborhood, but we do lack trust when it comes to the individuals that have the power to affect change.”

Beyond other systemic barriers, Anthony said misinformation spreads quickly in the age of social media, and it can be hard for voters to parse through. 

She also said the new law making it so voters can no longer bring things like a utility bill, social security card or birth certificate as voter identification to the polls is having an effect, especially for folks who can’t afford to get a passport or renew their license. 

Now, she and her colleagues are gearing up for the general election in November, where they’re hopeful turnout will be strong. 

“In a couple weeks, we’ll be celebrating civic holidays, National Voter Registration Day and Vote Early Day,” Anthony said. “These are just great ways to celebrate but also get people engaged, get them hyped up for the upcoming election.”

National voter registration day is Sept. 19, and vote early day is Oct. 26.