Stark County Board of Elections

Boards of elections in Northeast Ohio are still recruiting people to work the polls for the Nov. 8 general election.

The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that Stark County Commissioners must buy the voting machines selected by the county board of elections. The Stark County Board of Elections asked state’s highest court to compel the county commissioners to approve the contract after the commissioners attempted in March to block the purchase of 1,450 machines from Dominion Voting Systems.

Gov. Mike DeWine has paused the use of of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after rare blood clots were reported in six people who received the one-shot vacinne. The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to fast-track a ruling in the case pitting the Stark County Board of Elections against the county’s commissioners over the purchase of Dominion voting machines; despite Gov. Mike DeWine promising last April to disclose the number of Ohio doctors, nurses and other health care workers who became infected with COVID-19, the Ohio Department of Health says it will not release that information; the Beacon Journal reports that some people expressed confusion over Gov. Mike DeWine’s decision to cancel the previous mask mandate, and reissue it Friday as part of a consolidated health order; and more stories.

The board still plans to buy new voting machines in preparation for the next general election.

Stark County Commissioners have yet to make a decision on new voting equipment proposed by the board of elections.

Although there were some hiccups with curbside voting this election season, voter advocates believe improvements can be made to make this service more accessible to Ohio voters.

The number of voters on the first day of early voting in Stark County easily surpassed the number who turned out in 2016 and 2008.