Ohio’s registered voters will now be able to change their addresses online with a new internet tool launched yesterday by Secretary of State, Jon Husted.

Those who want vote in person can potentionally be turned away if their address does not match the information in polling books on Election Day. These voters are then given what are called provisional ballots. Those ballets are then set aside for verification and don’t always end up being counted later.

“If voters take advantage of this new tool and update their address online, it is likely that a lot fewer of them would have to vote a provisional ballot,” Husted said at a news conference at his office.

The new online tool is www.MyOhioVote.com and will have residents register their address 30 days before Election Day.

“We are making it easier for Ohio voters to do their part in making Election Day run smoothly,” Husted said. “This added convenience for voters is also a powerful tool against voter fraud as current and accurate voter rolls leave less room for abuse.”

According to Cleveland.com,  Husted estimates that if this system were in place during the 2008 presidential election, about 130,000 people forced to use a provisional ballot may have been able to instead get a regular ballot.

When using the website, Ohio registered voters will be led through a process to update their addresses.  This requires four identification keys that match Ohio’s database: last name, Ohio driver’s license number, the last digits of their Social Security number and date of birth.

“This process is easy for voters and election officials alike, and will help reduce provisional voting across the state,” Karla Herron, the association’s first vice-president, told Dispatch.com. “People bank online, shop online and pay bills online. It just makes sense that they update their voting information online.”

With Ohio being a swing state, both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have been visiting the state about every 2 weeks to talk to voters and make speeches to the public about their platform, health care ideas, and visions for our future economy. Obama’s latest stop in the Buckeye State was on August 1st and Romney on August 8th.

According to a recent CNN poll, Obama leads over Romney in the state of Ohio. Obama has 47% and Romney has 44%. In Ohio, 60% were “strongly supporting” Obama, compared to 42% who said the same for Romney. In Ohio, 46% of voters said Obama would better handle to economy, and 45% picked Romney. To view the poll, click HERE.

-Kate Murphy / 98.5 WNCX