Directive provides guidance for upcoming fall election

COLUMBUS — Ohio Sec. of State Frank LaRose issued Directive 2020-11 to the state’s 88 county boards of elections on Monday.

The Ready for November Directive details how counties must utilize federal dollars to improve their election infrastructure, hire temporary personnel, enhance their supply of personal protective equipment and recruit poll workers.

Ohio’s share of federal CARES Act funds designated for the 2020 election is $12,861,311. Notably, 87 percent of Ohio’s federal dollars will be sent directly to the county boards of elections in support of their efforts to run a safe, secure and accurate election.

“Over the past several months, we’ve been working with bipartisan election officials across Ohio as well as election experts & advocates to make our state ready for November,” LaRose said. “While we certainly have many challenges ahead of us, this plan puts us on a path to ensure Ohio voters will be confident that their voice was heard on November 3rd.”

Specifically, the Ready for November Directive provides required guidance on recruiting more poll workers, more election infrastructure, personal protective equipment for poll workers, increasing county staffs, faster fixes for absentee voters, additional ballot printing, paper backups for electronic equipment, relocating polling locations for vulnerable populations, assessing voters in senior living facilities and additional assistance for voters physically unable to enter a polling location.