With Election Day just a few days away, the Lawrence County Board of Elections is filled with activity.

Saturday, October 30, 1999

With Election Day just a few days away, the Lawrence County Board of Elections is filled with activity.

"We still have the bags to fill for supplies," director Mary Wipert said Wednesday. "But we’re almost there. We have the computer work completed."

A last-minute change in candidacy has caused a few problems, but that is expected, Mrs. Wipert added.

"Don Lewis withdrew from the Ironton school board race," she said. "Now we have to go through 74 devices to take him out of the system. We will put a notice that if you cast a ballot for him it will not be counted, but we will do our best to get him out of the system."

Other than that one unexpected event, this year’s election seems to be running more smoothly than ever, Mrs. Wipert added.

Poll workers have been trained and there are even a few alternates to take over if some quit, she said.

"We’ll be ready on Tuesday," Mrs. Wipert said.

Whether everyone else is prepared to cast their ballots Tuesday will be up to the individual, however, she added.

"If they have any questions, they can call us here at 532-0444," Mrs. Wipert said. "They can ask us if they are registered to vote, what precinct they are in and where their polling place is located."

Even if someone has recently moved, they are still able to participate in the election, Mrs. Wipert said.

"If their address has changed, we will tell them where their new polling place is," she said. "They may end up voting as a walk-in. These provisional ballots are not counted until the official count."

If a recent addition to the county, new residents also could be eligible to cast a provisional ballot as long as they resided in another Ohio county previously. Otherwise, they would have to have registered by Oct. 4 to vote in this year’s election, Mrs. Wipert said.

Once at the polls, which open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m., voting can be a simple process, Mrs. Wipert added.

But if a write-in candidate is desired, the voter should not mark it on his or her ballot, but rather write the name of the candidate and the office on the secrecy envelope that is around the card, she said.

And not to worry, if anyone knows they will not be able to make it to the polls Tuesday, they have one last chance to have their voice heard.

The board of elections office will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, and voters may vote on an absentee ballot at that time, Mrs. Wipert said.

"I wouldn’t take the chance of mailing it in now," she said. "The best thing to do is to come in here Monday. The likelihood of a ballot getting here on time now is slim."