Election Night live stream to feature results, insight into election process

Seneca County Board of Elections to broadcast live stream for election results April 28

[Tiffin, OH April 22, 2020] – Seneca County Board of Elections personnel are to host a Facebook Live stream on Election Night to distribute news of unofficial results.
The stream, which begins at 7 p.m. on April 28, will include live video of board of elections staff conducting the unofficial canvass. Board President Jim Fruth will speak directly to voters about the election and the process of conducting it. As the unofficial results become tallied for the night, Fruth will read the results and a link will be provided to them. Results will not be available until after 7:30 p.m.
Residents can view the live stream on the Seneca County Board of Elections Facebook page, at this link, https://tinyurl.com/yd9afl4l. You do not need to have a Facebook account to view the video. If you have trouble with that link, visit https://tinyurl.com/ydfva7sl.
Results from Election Night will not be final, as some absentee ballots postmarked by April 27 could still be received and Provisional ballots will need to be evaluated. The official canvass is to be completed by local election personnel by May 19.
Board of Elections Director Jim Ehrman is urging people to watch the live stream instead of coming into the office to view the process.
“Due to COVID-19 this has not been a normal election and it won’t be a normal election night,” he said.
Traditionally, candidates, media members and interested residents would spend the evening at the elections office and wait for results to be distributed by the board of elections staff.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the elections panel hopes to provide a digital version of the typical election night.
“Producing and broadcasting this live stream will give residents, candidates and media members access to everything we are doing to conduct the election that night,” Fruth said. “This is also a way for us to spread the news of results while still being cognizant of the state’s orders to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”
The board of elections, which features members Fruth, Mary Puffenberger, Mike Bridinger and David Koehl, also is to live stream a meeting on the Seneca County Board of Elections Facebook page at 6:30 a.m. on the 28th. This meeting is conducted to officially open the polls and is expected to be brief. When business is complete, the board will recess until it needs to handle any other matters related to the election throughout the day. At about 7 p.m., the live stream broadcast will begin on the Seneca Board of Elections Facebook page and will be shared across the county’s other social media platforms.
If you have any questions, please e-mail them to County Public Relations Coordinator Jimmy Flint, JFlint@senecacountyohio.gov.