When Lawrence County Board of Elections staff received word that Ohio’s chief elections officer would be stopping by their facility for a tour on Thursday, they could rest assured that they were already on his good side.

Ohio Sec. of State Frank LaRose was in Ironton, touring the facility and getting a first-hand view of its operation.

According to Board of Elections director Cathy Snyder, Lawrence County’s election office was named Board of the Year by the secretary of state’s office in December, the first to receive that distinction.

Snyder explained that they received this award from the state, as officials were impressed that the board was able to successfully run regular elections, an August special election and an Ironton mayoral runoff all in the same year in 2023.

LaRose was impressed by the smooth operation of the facility, stating there have not been any issues with the county.

“There are always four or five counties that keep up at night,” he said of Ohio’s 88 boards of election. “But it’s never y’all.”

LaRose offered suggestions on voter outreach and education, such as the Youth in the Booth program at local schools, where voting equipment is used to elect a class president.

“I tell them, you just voted for class president and, next year, you can be voting for president of the United States,” LaRose said of his interaction with high school seniors. “It’s just as easy.”

He also spoke of the need for education and assurance on the security of state elections, stating the need to dispel ideas about things such as a “secret Venezuelan server,” a disproven conspiracy theory advanced Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, by lawyers for Donald Trump in the aftermath of the 2020 election, for which both were sued for defamation by a voting machine manufacturer.

LaRose explained that no election equipment in Ohio is hooked up to the Internet or an outside server.

The secretary examined things such as voting signs and equipment and explained the design of the state’s absentee ballot form. 

He noted the stripe on the side of the envelope.

“It’s not just an aesthetic choice,” he said, explaining that it allowed postal workers to easily spot them in mail.

He advised board officials to always keep a good relationship with the local postmaster in case they are needed.

The tour even took LaRose to the break room.

“it’s fully stocked,” he said. “That’s important. I see you have your George Foreman Grill.”

LaRose also explained how certain rooms, with sensitive equipment in the building could not be opened with out a key from both a Republican and Democratic official.

“It’s important we have that bipartisan requirement,” he said.

One running gag throughout the tour was the abundance of “I voted” stickers in the building, with rolls of them appearing in room after room, and officials joking that “a hoarder” must have been responsible.

“Let it be know that the Lawrence County Board of Elections will never run out of ‘I voted’ stickers,” LaRose proclaimed.’