Ohio voters cast record number of absentee ballots

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Almost 1.9 million Ohioans voted an absentee ballot in last year's election — a record number for the perennial presidential battleground state.

Secretary of State Jon Husted released reports Wednesday showing that roughly 33 percent of the more than 5.6 million votes cast in the November election were from absentee ballots. The early ballots accounted for about 30 percent of the overall votes cast in 2008.

Voters in Ohio can cast an absentee ballot early by mail or in person without giving any reason.

A higher number of provisional ballots also were counted last year compared with 2008. Husted says 83.5 percent were counted, up from 80 percent.

Provisional ballots include those cast when voters don't bring proper ID to the polls or cast them in the wrong precinct.