Election 2020

2020 is looking to be a pivotal year in politics. But this year's elections are about much more than the race for the White House. And the coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a complicating factor. WKSU, our colleagues at public radio stations across Ohio and the region and at NPR will bring you coverage of all the races from the national to the local level.

Voting Rights Group Says This Primary's Vote Total So Far Is Just Half Of 2016's

The Statehouse News Bureau | By Jo Ingles,

Jo Ingles

Published April 17, 2020 at 3:28 PM EDT

A voting rights organization says there are potentially a lot fewer voters who will cast ballots this year compared to the presidential primary four years ago. The group looked at totals so far for the March 17 primary that has been extended to April 28.

Mike Brickner with All Voting is Local has compared numbers for this primary with those from four years ago – when there was in person voting and a Republican primary that featured Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

“In 2016, we had a little over three million people who voted in the primary election. For the 2020 election thus far, we are looking at about only 1.5 million people who have either cast an early ballot or requested an absentee ballot since we extended the time," Brickner says.

Credit All Voting is Local

This year’s contested Democratic primary is over and the vote is all by mail, and Brickner notes some who requested ballots might not return them so the total could be even lower. Brickner says he believes the vote totals are down because the mail-in balloting process is confusing for many voters. Voters have until April 28 to return ballots but they must get them first by filling out absentee ballot request forms.