Board of Elections introduces deputy director; officials outline May primary early-voting schedule and state funding

Carla Herron, director of the Delaware County Board of Elections, introduced Brian Hester as the board's new deputy director at the April 21 commissioners meeting and reviewed preparations for the upcoming May primary.

"At the board of elections, we do everything in a bipartisan way, and it's the best way to ensure our elections are, as everyone likes to say, free and fair," Herron said. She described Hester's nine years of experience at Butler County and said he brings relevant election-administration experience to Delaware County.

Hester said turnout for the May primary has been light so far and explained early-voting hours: current weekday hours through the week are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; later weeks have extended hours (07:30) and include Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 1–5 p.m. prior to the election. He said there is no early voting on the Monday before the election to allow election staff to prepare for the field.

Herron and Hester told commissioners that the state will pay the bulk of this statewide election's costs; the county received $275,000 that went to the general fund and the county will reimburse any unused portion to the state. Hester said local jurisdictions that place issues on the ballot (for example a township levy) will still pay a percentage of the cost. Herron reviewed items on the ballot beyond the statewide Issue 2 bond renewal, including local township levies (Liberty Township and Genoa Township fire levies), a Westerville library question, and partisan and nonpartisan primary races.

Commissioners welcomed Hester and praised Herron for bipartisan administration of elections; no board action was required for the personnel introduction.