Husted blames postal service for absentee ballot problem

Hundreds of voters in northwest Ohio say they have not received their absentee ballots in the mail.

The problem starts seems to start at the mail sorting center in Pontiac, Michigan.

The ballots were sent from Lucas, Wood and five other counties October 12. But twenty days later, many still have not been delivered.

Tuesday, Ohio Secretary of State, Jon Husted, visited the board of elections office in Wood County. He says voting has gone smoothly in Ohio except for this absentee ballot problem.

Husted puts the blame squarely on the postal system, saying, "It's completely unacceptable. The post office needs to do a better job."

Husted has been in touch with the post office but, so far, no explanation for what happened.

Now, local elections officials are scrambling to make sure absentee voters get a ballot.

In Lucas County, BOE director, Gina Kaczala says her office is re-issuing absentee ballots to voters who contact the BOE and request one.

And ballots seem to be arriving as they should.

Kaczala says, "What we're finding now is ballots seem to be getting to voters in that 3-5 day range."

Terry Burton, the BOE director in Wood County says, "We feel like we're starting to get over the hump."

Wood has re-ssued 330 ballots to voters who did not get the first mailing but time is running out.

You have to request a ballot by Noon Saturday.

Burton says, "If we can get them a ballot that soon, and it's postmarked by November 7th, then it's countable if it gets in the 10-days after."

You can also log on to the Secretary of State's website and look for your ballot.

Husted says, "If you go to my webstie, myohiovote.com, you can track your ballot to make sure when it was sent and when it was received."

In Lucas County, you can call 419-213-4001 or send an email through, www.lucascountyvotes.org

In Wood County, you can call 419-354-9120 or send an email through boe@co.wood.oh.us

If you live in another county, contact your local Board of Elections office.