Scouts, board of elections to work together

Local Boy Scouts from Tuscarawas County will help the Tuscarawas County board of elections during the presidential primary election on March 17.

“We had approached them,” said Gail Garbrandt, Tuscarawas County board of elections director. “One of our workers in the absentee office’s husband is very involved in Scouts. I mentioned after the November election that it might be great for both them and us if we worked together.”

Garbrandt said it has been a three-month process organizing for the day, and the Scout volunteers are ready to help. “Scout leaders and Scouts belonging to the prestigious Order of the Arrow, as well as Scouts from Dover Troop 87, will help,” she said.

The Order of the Arrow is comprised of Scouts who “exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives.”

“We are very pleased that the Scouts were willing to step up and help on election night,” Garbrandt said. “The amount of time the Scouts serve will apply as a credit to their required community-service hours.”

The Scouts and their leaders will help unload the cars of the precinct officials at the annex, who are bringing memory sticks from scanners, all of the marked and unmarked ballots, and express polls.

With a lot of activity at the annex on election night, traffic is anticipated to be heavy, but with this system the Scouts will unload while another poll worker parks the cars.

Garbrandt hopes the help from the Scouts and their leaders will help streamline the process. She also is hoping this will impact the Scouts beyond their service hours.

“We are hopeful this experience will spark interest in the Scouts to become more involved in the election process and that they may one day become a precinct official or liaison, work at the board of elections office, or perhaps even run for public office. The addition of these young people on election night will add some new energy and excitement at the end of a very long day,” Garbrandt said.

The election polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 17. Voters must have a form of identification to vote: an Ohio ID card or license, utility bill, cell phone bill, bank statement, or government check with their name and address on it, as long as it is not older than one year. No passports or Social Security cards will be accepted as proof of identification.

If someone is unsure where their polling place is located, Garbrandt said they can visit the website at www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/ and check the voter information search, which will give them their polling place. If a voter doesn’t have a computer or access to one at the library, they can call the office at 330-343-3125 and the clerk can direct them to the proper location.