Ohio Emergency Workers Dispatched For Hurricane Sandy Relief May Not Get To Vote

Ohio utility workers sent to help repair communities destroyed by Hurricane Sandy might miss their opportunity to vote. Dayton Power and Light employees and approximately 200 utility contractors left the state to help restore power along the ravaged coast. They may be too far from their designated polling places to cast ballots, according to the Dover-New Plymouth Times-Reporter.

Company spokeswoman Lesley Sprigg reports that all emergency workers volunteered for the duty. She said some supervisors did remind those who offered to go help Hurricane Sandy victims that they could miss their chance to vote. Sprigg feels that some workers did cast early ballots, according to the Dayton Daily News.

A utility crew working in Cleveland was reportedly given permission to drive back to the Dayton area today to go vote. Once the workers cast their ballots in Ohio, they will hop back in their trucks and meet up in New Jersey to continue helping restore power in the communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The emergency workers reportedly left Ohio on October 31.

Montgomery County Board of Elections Director Steve Harsman had this to say about the utility workers:

“It’s very unfortunate, especially since they are taking their time and energy to help their fellow man, but the law doesn’t give us much ability to help.”

The cut-off for requesting an absentee ballot in the state was at noon on Saturday. Ohioans could participate in early voting until 2 pm on Monday. The Dayton area utility workers and tree trimmers reportedly met up with crews from Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York to help remedy the downed power lines problem.