Hamilton County absentee problems

Some Hamilton Countians who voted early using an absentee ballot are in danger of not having their votes counted because of confusion over which driver’s license number to place on the ballot.

John Williams, head of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, said “probably 60” absentee ballots have come in with the wrong number, used for identification purposes.

When returned to the Board of Elections, absentee ballots also must have on them identification in the form of either a driver’s license number or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security Number.

But because an Ohio driver’s license has two numbers on it – one under the line entitled “License No.” and one atop the license photo, some voters were confused and placed the wrong number on their absentee ballot.

The correct driver’s license number to be placed as ID on an absentee ballot, Williams said, is the number under the heading “License No.”Because of a federal court trail now underway about counting absentee ballots, Williams said the Hamilton County Board of Elections is receiving – but not currently – scanning or counting absentee ballots.