Ohio County Boards Process Ballots After Polls Close

Ohio election officials face a multi-day workload that extends well past the 7:30 p.m. polls closing time on Tuesday. County boards must process four distinct types of ballots, including mailed, early, Election Day, and provisional votes. The count for each category often requires separate verification steps before final results are certified.

Tonya Wichman, the Defiance County Board of Elections Director, emphasized that the numbers reported on election night are strictly unofficial. She explained that the goal is to count every available vote rather than finding new ones after the fact. "A lot of our constituents don’t understand that we’re not finding votes after the election," Wichman told reporters. "We are working really hard to make sure we count every vote that’s available."

Provisional ballots present the most complex handling requirements. These votes often wait for voters to return and confirm their identity or resolve other outstanding questions. Wichman noted that a single provisional ballot has previously shifted the outcome of a local trustee race in her county. Her team tests every scanner and ballot type in advance to ensure accuracy before the count begins.

Wichman stated that a bipartisan team reviews every incoming ballot to ensure nothing is missed. They test every button on every machine and verify the ballots beforehand. "We have a bipartisan team go through every ballot that comes in," she said. "They’re making sure nothing’s been missed. They are testing and making sure everything, ahead of time, for the scanners that we run those on, we have tested every button of every machine and every ballot .. to make sure it is all correct. But we will still audit those after the certification anyway."

Ohio law mandates automatic recounts in close races. Statewide contests trigger a recount if the margin is within 0.25 percentage points. Contests in single counties or those spanning multiple counties require a recount if the margin is within 0.5 percentage points. These thresholds determine when the process moves from initial certification to a full recount.

Mike Curtin, a former Democratic lawmaker and newspaper editor, predicted more litigation following the November election. He cited the high volume of lawsuits filed in the weeks leading up to voting day. Curtin said he prefers an orderly and controversy-free election but emphasized the need for preparation. "But we must prepare for whatever might come, and that begins with an understanding of what the law requires," he told reporters.