This is the first year that every registered voter in the state is getting absentee ballot applications in the mail.  That, which means this first week of voting at many county boards of electionswill be dominated with getting paper ballots in the mail.

But beginning at 8 a.m., the elections boards also must be ready for walk-in.

Phil Giavasis of the Stark County Board of Elections says lots of voters have made up their minds, but he still expects a slight lag in early voting caused by another major event this week.

“Personally, I believe if you haven’t made up your mind by now given all the mail and commercials and coverage – but some people seem to be undecided and they’re going to wait for the debates. The first debate is Wednesday, (so) I don’t look for the lines to form before that.”

 Though early voting is beginning this week, Ohioans still can’t know how long it will extend. That’s because a federal judge has struck down a GOP-passed state law that bars early voting the weekend and Monday before the election except for military and overseas voters. Attorney General Mike DeWine is appealing that and another judge’s ruling that when pollworkers mistakenly direct voters to the wrong precinct, those votes should still count.