Get an on-the-scenes perspective from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and learn more about get-out-the-vote efforts. Plus, details on how to vote on Election Day.
Thousands of Clevelanders spent Sunday afternoon watching the Browns pull off a rare win. Meanwhile, 1,911 other locals got early ballots for a say in our embattled democracy.
It took many voters about 90 minutes to get ballots Sunday, when the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections was open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The line snaked out the board’s front door at 2925 Euclid Ave., down East 30th Street, in and out of a parking lot, and sometimes all the way to Chester Avenue.
Wearing a Browns shirt, John Raba joined the line well before the team’s 1 p.m. kickoff. He said, “It’s important to vote. It’s free. It’s going to be worse in line on Election Day. We’ve got to get it done. I’ll get to catch the second half, hopefully.”
Early voting began on weekdays in Ohio on Oct. 8 and weekends on Saturday. It will continue seven days a week through this coming Sunday.
So far, it’s going strong in Cuyahoga. Through Sunday, 38,177 residents got early ballots, about 4,700 more than by the same day in 2020, the last presidential election and the first pandemic year.
Through Monday, the board processed only 177,354 requests for mail ballots, with the deadline at 8:30 p.m. today to receive them. Voters returned 113,409 of those ballots, versus 318,214 in 2020’s election.
This year’s registration deadline was Oct. 7, and the results slightly rose from 2020 to 889,746 voters.
A few early voters listened to Sunday’s football broadcast in line, hoping that their heroes would prevail in sports and politics. Browns fans got their first wish, but it will take until Election Day, Nov. 5, or maybe much longer, depending on challenges, to see about the second.
Voter Katie Brennan wore a T-shirt Sunday that said, “Read & Vote.” She said she liked casting an early ballot because “I’ve done my duty. Now I can just wait.”
Voter Vanessa Hicks said, “I want the country run properly. I’m just here early to get it done.”
Jerome Johnson had no complaints about Sunday’s line. “You never want to give up your power to vote.” He said of the Republicans’ increasing election denials and restrictions, “What they’re doing is not going to stop people like me.”
The board’s staff tried to guide the voters and humor them. “Good afternoon, and thank you for your patience,” a greeter said every couple of minutes. “Please have your IDs ready.” Officials checking in voters called out “First-time voter!” when the term applied, and the crowd cheered.
Get out the vote
Around town, voters are getting encouragement, advice, rides to the polls and other help from churches, schools, fraternities, sororities, ethnic organizations, unions, advocacy groups and political parties. The Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates held a “Voter Prom” Sunday at midday for young or first-time voters.
Among upcoming events, Cleveland Votes and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will hold a free Pull Up to the Polls party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Agora, 5000 Euclid Ave., with rides to the board. Partygoers are asked to sign up ahead of the event.
Around town, many signs are promoting the right to vote. An American Civil Liberties Union billboard says, “Your Vote Matters.” Greater Cleveland Congregations’ Voter Virginity Campaign uses slogans like “Make your first time count” and “It’s natural to be nervous.” Even omnipresent litigator Tim Misny dons an Uncle Sam costume and says, “I want you to vote.”
What’s on the ballot and how to cast it
Cuyahoga voters are weighing in on close, bitter contests for the presidency and a U.S. Senate seat. They’re also considering the U.S. House, the state legislature, judgeships, 47 community measures, the Cleveland schools’ tax, five other districts’ taxes, the Cuyahoga County’s arts tax, and Ohio Issue 1.
Despite ballot language by the Ohio Elections Board that advocates call misleading, Issue 1 would create a politically balanced panel of non-candidates to draw legislative districts. The districts are currently drawn by elected officials, mostly Republicans, along lines that give that party supermajorities in Ohio’s legislature and Congressional delegation. The party controls 67 of 99 seats in the Ohio House, 27 of 33 in the Ohio Senate, and 10 of 15 in the U.S. House.
The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled the officials’ maps unconstitutional, but one still stands.
Republicans say their new restrictions on voting help prevent fraud, although such frauds are rare. Among those requirements, each voter must bring original, current photo identification (or a veteran ID card, which is virtual). The ID must have an Ohio address, though not necessarily a current one.
The state has also told elections boards to make voters with IDs marked “non-citizen” submit proof of citizenship and sign affidavits. The ACLU has sued to quash that rule.
The deadline for boards to receive applications for mail ballots has been moved up to tonight. NOVA organizer Bishop Chui urges anyone who hasn’t applied yet to vote in person instead if possible.
Voters who’ve applied for mail ballots but not yet heard back may check their ballots’ progress online. Mail ballots must be completed and either postmarked by Nov. 4 or brought to the board by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Early voting continues at elections boards to 8:30 p.m. today, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The state has eliminated early voting the day before election.
On Election Day, as always, neighborhood polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Groups such as RideShare2Vote help bring voters to the polls. And all rides with the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will be free on Election Day, thanks to a $105,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation.
Many organizations are advising voters about the rules. That includes the Ohio secretary of state’s office, 1-877-767-6446 (SOS-OHIO) extension 4 and the county boards. The Cuyahoga board is at 216-443-8683(VOTE).
People denied normal votes early or on Election Day may vote provisionally. Those who have moved within Ohio since last registering may vote provisionally at their elections board by Nov, 3 or on Election Day at the polling place for their current neighborhood. Provisional voters must then present proof of eligibility at their elections board by Nov. 9.
People with disabilities may vote early or on Election Day at curbside or with assistance. For military or civilian overseas voters, see https://www.ohiosos.gov/secretary-office/military.
For more about voting rights and restrictions, see https://thelandcle.org/stories/does-one-vote-matter-in-2024-cleveland-activists-say-yes. For more about local voting, see https://thelandcle.org/stories/cleveland-votes-wants-northeast-ohioans-to-get-time-off-to-vote-in-the-2024-election.
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