Despite being a traditionally slow cycle in an election off-year, voter participation in the upcoming August special election on Ohio's Issue 1 seems to have drawn hundreds of thousands to their ballot boxes weeks before the August 8th election.

According to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, more than 155,000 early votes have been cast and more than 160,000 absentee ballots sent out since the start of early voting on July 11th. Those numbers only reflect ballots cast and requested by Wednesday, July 19th, indicating a strong first week for the early vote.

By comparison, the numbers logged so far represent a five-fold increase in participation compared to participation in last year's August Primary, according to LaRose's office. 

"Ohioans continue to show great confidence in our early voting options," said Secretary of State Frank LaRose. "They know we have a system of bipartisan accountability that keeps every vote secure, whether it’s cast early in person or sent in by mail."

Ohio's early voting system is better than in most states. According to the Ohio Secretary of State, Ohio's early voting period is 21 percent longer than the national average, and Ohio is one of just 18 states with Saturday early voting dates, and one of only 6 with open ballot boxes on Sundays.

If you're interested in absentee or early voting, you can find more details on VoteOhio.gov.

The results of any votes cast and received by elections offices across the state will not be made available until the night of the special election on August 8th of this year.

That special election contains only one item, Issue 1, which seeks to require signatures from all 88 counties for an amendment proposal to make it on the ballot, then require a supermajority vote of 60% + 1 vote for a new amendment to pass.