OH HB209

Requires Ohio boards of elections to establish secure ballot drop boxes for returning absent voter's ballots without postage payment.

Mandates minimum drop box requirements based on county population: one box per 12,500 active electors for counties with 250,000+ electors; one per 15,000 for counties with 37,500-249,999 electors; and two boxes minimum for smaller counties.

Requires at least one drop box in each municipal corporation, township, census designated place, and on each higher education institution campus within the county.

Boards must solicit public comments on drop box locations between 250 and 189 days before the election and give reasonable public notice through newspaper publication.

Allows bipartisan election official teams to collect ballots from drop boxes at 7:30 p.m. on election day, with accommodations for voters waiting in line; declares the act an emergency measure related to COVID-19 pandemic safety.