Vinton County elections board shifts to second Tuesday meeting schedule

Vinton County voters will have a fixed date to watch as the Board of Elections moves to a second-Tuesday rhythm, a shift that matters when ballot deadlines, petition filings and other election business come before the board. The county has posted both a special June 16 work session and a regular June 23 monthly meeting, each set for 9 a.m. in McArthur.

The June 16 meeting is listed as an executive session for a work meeting at 31935 State Route 93, Community Building - Unit 1, McArthur, OH 45651. The regular monthly meeting is set for June 23 at the same time and place, and the board’s 2026 calendar lays out the rest of the year with meetings on January 20, February 17, March 10, April 14, May 12, June 23, July 14, August 11, September 8, October 13, November 3 and December 8.

That schedule carries extra weight in Vinton County, Ohio’s least populous county, where the 2020 census counted 12,800 residents and the county seat is McArthur. In a small county, even routine election administration can draw close public attention because the board sits at the front line for local voting operations.

Ohio law requires each county board of elections to have four members, with two from each major political party. State guidance says county boards handle petitions for local, legislative and congressional offices, local issues and options, and campaign-finance filings for local candidates, parties and PACs. That makes the meeting calendar important for anyone tracking how candidates and issue campaigns move through the filing process.

The board’s posted schedule also gives residents a predictable point of contact if they want to attend, watch or raise concerns before deadlines pass. Under Ohio open-meetings guidance, executive sessions are closed to the public, while public bodies must keep full and accurate minutes available for review. For Vinton County residents following ballot questions or election administration, the June dates offer a clear marker for when the board will next take up its work.

The board’s current roster lists Director Melissa Hale, Deputy Director Marie Reffitt, Chair Berneice Minton and members Barbie Hammond, Sandi Fee and Tony Rose. With the calendar now posted across the year, the office’s next steps will unfold on a schedule that residents can follow in advance instead of after the fact.