COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio's elections chief has issued new rules for counting provisional ballots in response to a federal judge's order seeking more access for the coming presidential election.
Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted (HYOO'-sted) on Tuesday directed poll workers to count all so-called "right church, wrong pew" ballots. Those are ballots cast by voters who show up at the correct polling place but are mistakenly directed to an area of the polling place where votes for other precincts are being cast.
U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley noted in his August order this issue has become an increasing problem as the number of multi-precinct locations grows, particularly in urban areas. Poll workers gave more than 3,300 wrong precinct provisional ballots to voters last year.
Husted plans to appeal the judge's order to count provisional ballots lacking envelope signatures.
