Absentee Ballot Woes Continue

Delays in the mailing of hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots across Ohio by a private vendor…rocked by equipment challenges and overwhelmed by unparalleled volume…should be addressed in the coming days, officials say. Midwest Direct CEO, Richard Gebbie tells the media his firm’s business model for this election anticipated double the number of absentee requests fielded in 2016. Instead, it’s been triple. Delays have ranged from two days to a week, at a time when more pressure than ever before has been placed on mail-in voting because of the coronavirus pandemic. Election and postal officials have long predicted high volumes could slow down 2020 ballots and they have urged voters to act early and to pay close attention. Those who do not receive a requested absentee ballot in time to vote can still cast an in-person, provisional ballot on Election Day.