Ohio Absentee Ballots Scanned Early

Cuyahoga County elections officials began scanning absentee ballots Monday with a judge's permission, despite a request by state officials that counties hold off until Election Day.

About 70,000 ballots needed to be scanned in the county, the state's most populous, Cuyahoga elections director Michael Vu said. His office was determined to get through all of them Monday, even if it took until midnight.

Franklin County, which includes Columbus, also started scanning absentee ballots Monday, officials said.

Counties wanted to begin tabulating the ballots early because of the large volume turned in under a new state law liberalizing absentee voting.

The Ohio secretary of state's office initially directed counties not to scan absentee ballots before Tuesday, but Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dan Gaul ruled Friday that all 88 counties could start Monday as long as security precautions were taken.

On Saturday, the secretary of state's office said counties must secure access to scanning locations, ensure that two bipartisan overseers control absentee ballots and that totals not be disclosed until the polls close on Tuesday. Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, the state's chief elections official, is the Republican candidate for governor.

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