State Worried About Low Turnout For Special Primary

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office is planning to spend nearly $245,000 extra to promote public awareness of the August 2nd special primary election.

Cleveland.com reports that’s three times as much as the state spent to promote a similar campaign for the May primary election.

State officials are concerned about low voter turnout in August.

Voters will pick Republican and Democratic candidates for state legislative races and State Central Committee races.

The second primary is the result of redistricting delays after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Ohio House and Senate maps passed by the redistricting commission were unconstitutional.

However, despite the fact that the Ohio Supreme Court said the maps didn’t reflect the will of voters, a federal court ruled that the maps would be used in the August primary anyway.

One of the few races on the ballot in Hancock County in the August primary is the Democrat primary for 83rd District state representative between Melissa Kritzell and Claire Osborne. Both will be taking part in a forum on WFIN on Wednesday, July 20th at 5 p.m.

The winner of the Democratic primary will take on State Rep. Jon Cross in the fall, who’s running unopposed in the primary.

Early voting is underway.

Get more election information from the Hancock County Board of Elections by clicking here.