COLUMBUS, Ohio — An issue with downloading up-to-date voter files has forced Franklin County voters to be checked in with a backup paper system Tuesday.
According to Aaron Sellers, Public Information Officer with the Franklin County Board of Elections, he said the board determined it needed to use the paper poll books when there was an issue downloading up-to-date voter files to its electronic poll books.
Sellers said the download happens after early absentee voting ends.
The download was done Monday night but officials cannot determine if the entire voter file is on the electronic poll pads.
Sellers said the issues were worked on Monday night but it got to a point where officials needed to turn to the backup paper system.
Ballots can still be accepted through 7:30 p.m. Tuesday as well as any ballot post-marked by Nov. 2 and received by Nov. 13.
Sellers said the paper poll books will make sure one voter can only cast one vote.
The office of Secretary of State Frank LaRose tweeted saying that this happens occasionally and is something the boards were told to prepare for leading up to Tuesday.
LaRose's office wrote in a tweet, "It will not impact the security or accuracy of today’s vote."
His office said the issue will not affect voting machines.
Seller's full statement is below:
"The Franklin County Board of Elections will be using its backup paper poll books to check in voters today. This is why we have contingency plans in place and the process is working. The issue arose when trying to download up-to-date voter files to our electronic poll pads. We decided to go with the backup paper poll books to ensure that one voter can only cast one vote."
