The team is nationally known for its year-round hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE. The hotline is monitored by volunteer lawyers familiar with Ohio voting law, ready to answer the questions of voters or look into their concerns.
But the program also enlists local volunteers to help people vote during elections in their communities.
OVRC voter engagement coordinator Courtney Flynn, who also manages the statewide Election Protection program, said Dayton is one of eight priority cities of the group.
The Dayton-area has a strong presence of Election Protection poll monitors — people who come to local polling locations or early voting centers to check in with voters and report their concerns back to the group.
During the August special election, the Election Protection program deployed nearly 60 poll monitors across the Dayton area, according to Flynn.
The program also works with local members of the clergy to assemble a team of “peacekeepers” who can be sent to polling locations to de-escalate rising tensions — something that can deter people from wanting to cast a ballot.
“We really just want to fully encompass the needs of voters in any election,” she said.
Flynn said the Election Protection program saw a number of trends during this election’s early voting period and during the August special election: some people across the state were calling in to report that they did not receive their absentee ballots after sending off a request to their local election board office, to start.
Montgomery County Board of Elections deputy director Russ Joseph said the election board’s last ballots for the Nov. 7 election were mailed out on Wednesday.
If anyone hasn’t received a ballot and they think they should have it by now, Joseph advised they either come in to vote early in-person or show up to their voting location on Election Day to vote. If they come in and early-vote, the election board can cancel the ballot that was sent to them, and they can vote at the election board office.
If they show up to vote on Election Day, they can cast a provisional ballot, which will count once election officials confirm that the original ballot that was sent to them was not cast.
“Unfortunately we can’t control the ballot delivery once it leaves our mail house and is in the hands of the USPS,” Joseph said, “Issues do arise occasionally where people just do not receive their ballots.”
Joseph said anyone with concerns about this issue can contact the election board at 937-225-5656, where they’ll be walked through their options.
Flynn said her group also heard reports from voters in Franklin County and elsewhere who noticed political signs were taken down at their polling locations, particularly churches. Other reports in the state showed confusion continues to surround Ohio’s new voter ID law, with some voters being asked to vote provisionally even if they brought acceptable photo ID to their polling location.
Flynn also said the Ohio-based organization is expecting more voter intimidation during Tuesday’s election, and her group has been preparing for it.
“We’re here to reinforce the fact that you’re able to engage in your local election if you choose to,” she said.
In-person early voting ends on Sunday, and absentee ballots need to be postmarked on or before Monday or returned to election board offices or their dropboxes by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Voters with concerns about their polling locations or concerns about casting their ballots can contact their local election board office. The Election Protection program can also be reached at 866-OUR-VOTE.
The Dayton Daily News also wants to hear from voters when voting problems arise. The newsroom can be reached at 937-610-7502.
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