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Board of Elections need more funding for second primary, worry about staff burnout


Dayton 24/7 Now file photo
Dayton 24/7 Now file photo
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DAYTON, Ohio (WKEF) -- Montgomery County Board of Elections is asking the state for over $400,000 to swing a second primary in the split election.

This comes as a federal court is expected to allow the Ohio Redistricting Commission’s third legislative maps, which were previously deemed unconstitutional be used on the second primary ballot if the Ohio Supreme Court doesn’t make a decision by Saturday.

As litigation decisions remain unclear, there’s still no official date set for a second primary.

Jeff Rezabek, the Director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, explained if the second primary isn’t held on August second, it will impact their preparations for November's general election. Rezabek added he’s expressed to the Secretary of State and House Speaker that election officials are concerned about election staff burning out.

“If we continue to be under this trend of holding off elections and putting this stress on the system, it's the health and safety and well-being of the employees of the Board of Elections. I think you could see a tremendous amount of people leaving the field, and then we will have to backfill that,” Rezabek explained.

Rezabek added his staff have been working overtime and weekends for 30 consecutive days, all to make sure elections remain 100% accurate and fair despite redistricting confusion. Rezabek is giving his staff this Friday off to regroup, but he feels the workload isn’t sustainable.

Rezabek said voter turnout is an extreme concern for the second primary, and so is funding. Montgomery County Board of Elections asked the state for over $400,000 through the Ohio Association of Election officials to prevent burnout and adequately staff the county’s 143 polling locations.

“I think it'll cost a little bit more because we're running into some supply chain problems. Also, our delivery, how we get the equipment out, apparently August is a great time to move so the company that we use, they're going to work with us, but it's going to cost a little bit more. So those costs of doing an August election, especially when we don't know if we're having one late in the game to try and get all those dates and all that in place, will cost a little more,” Rezabek said.

The Secretary of State's office said they have been advocating for that additional funding, but only the legislature can grant it. Election officials tell me the Speaker of the House is aware of the additional funding, but it remains unclear if Board of Elections' will receive it.

Jen Miller, the Executive Director of the plaintiff organization, named in the Supreme Court Case, League of Women Voters, said it’s a waiting game to see if the Ohio Supreme Court will strike down the commission’s fourth set of maps that were nearly identical to a third set that was previously deemed unconstitutional.

“So we're waiting to see if the Ohio Supreme Court's going to do anything about that. will they hold commissioners in contempt? Will the Supreme Court do something else in terms of ordering other maps? At the same time, there is a federal case,” Miller said.

Miller added if Ohio's Supreme Court doesn’t make decisions by Saturday, a federal court will allow the third set of maps that were previously struck down to be on the ballot.

The drawn-out redistricting process is due to new amendments passed in 2015 and 2018 that say the General Assembly shall not pass a plan that unduly favors or disfavors a political party. It also includes a new push to keep counties and townships together. Miller said 70 percent of Ohioans voted for the amendments.

“The entire process was supposed to be finalized before the end of last year, and here we are still. Ultimately there were easy solutions all along. It is completely possible to make constitutional maps that uphold the rights of Ohio voters to have districts that serve them rather than political interests,” Miller said.

Miller said redistricting commissioners are behaving as if they’re above the law and that the Constitution is not a sacred document.

“I am certainly concerned and disappointed that the redistricting commission has members on it who cares so much more about keeping their seats and their friends keeping their seats rather than really upholding the Ohio Constitution and what our representative democracy needs. When districts are rigged? It weakens our power as voters and that's unacceptable,” Miller said.

The Ohio Attorney General previously sent a memo to the commission outlining steps they can take to ensure the Supreme Court’s orders are complied with during the fourth redraw. One recommendation was to hire two independent map makers to assist.

Yet, Miller explained the commission paid two independent map makers $450 an hour for guidance but said in the end, and they didn’t comply with their advice.

Now Rezabek said election officials are anticipating all outcomes to try to get as much done as possible ahead of the unknown second primary date.

“We don't know what the ultimate end will be, and so that's been very harder on this team, and I think it's been hard on all the other directors and deputy directors around the state because we're trying to serve the public as best we can. And sometimes the public asks questions, and it's very hard for us to say, well, we don't know the answer yet. And we're just waiting,” Rezabek said.

If you have not registered to vote yet, you can still register to vote in the Second Primary and General Election. To do so use this link: https://www.montgomery.boe.ohio.gov/registration/

Links to previous coverage:

Ohio moves ahead with split primary

Ohio Redistricting Commission passes modified version of third map, sparking more concern

Fourth maps the charm for redistricting commission? Uncertainty impacts board of elections

Still no constitutional legislative maps, debate could escalate to federal court

Still no constitutional legislative map ahead of Primary Elections

Board of Elections preparing for primary amid redistricting map confusion

Lawmakers push to change military voting law ahead of primary, sparking controversy


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