Defiance County Director Explains Post Election Ballot Processing

Voters in Ohio will see preliminary numbers appear after polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but county election boards will continue processing ballots for several days. Officials on Friday clarified that the counts displayed on election night are not final.

Tonya Wichman, the Defiance County Board of Elections Director, stated that the agency is not discovering new votes after the election. Instead, staff are working to ensure every available vote is counted accurately. She noted that many constituents misunderstand this distinction.

Each county board must process multiple categories of ballots. This includes mailed in votes, early votes, Election Day votes, and provisional ballots. Provisional ballots often require additional processing because voters may need to return to verify their identity or resolve other questions. Wichman cited a local trustee race where a single provisional ballot changed the final outcome.

The Defiance County team uses a bipartisan group to review every ballot. Wichman said they test every button on every scanning machine and every ballot beforehand to ensure accuracy. The team will still conduct audits after the official certification of results.

Ohio law sets specific thresholds that trigger automatic recounts. For statewide races, a recount is required if the margin is within 0.25 percentage points. For races spanning multiple counties or within a single county, the threshold is 0.5 percentage points.

Mike Curtin, a former Democratic lawmaker and newspaper editor, warned that the high volume of pre election lawsuits suggests more legal challenges are likely in the weeks following the election. He said he prefers an orderly and controversy free process, but noted that the public must understand what the law requires to prepare for potential disputes.