Black Lives Matter, other equity messages on clothing allowed at polls in Ohio; political garb must be covered to vote

CLEVELAND (WOIO) - In a press conference Tuesday morning, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections director Tony Perlatti said anybody wearing political gear at a polling place would be asked to cover up any political messages, but those rules don’t include messages about Black, women and all lives matter clothing.

“Black Lives Matter is not a political campaign, so that would be allowable,” Perlatti said.

Also in the press conference Tuesday morning, Perlatti addressed issues of long lines, absentee ballots and initial election results in Cuyahoga County.

Lines at most polling places have calmed down after an initial rush once polls opened at 6:30 a.m, according to Perlatti.

“It creates an instant line because we can’t open the doors until 6:30,” Perlatti said.

He also assured voters with unreturned absentee ballots they can either drop their ballots off at the county board of elections until 7:30 p.m. or cast a provisional ballot at their polling place.

Ballots that are dropped off by 7:30 tonight or that were postmarked by Nov. 2 can be counted up to ten days after the election.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has stressed that “election night results are never final” and all ballots should be counted before a winner is declared.

However, Perlatti said the election results that come out of Cuyahoga County tonight should be mostly accurate to the final results.

Watch the press conference below:

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