Staff photo / Bob Coupland Trumbull County Board of Elections Deputy Director Ron Massullo, left, and Director Stephanie Penrose place a black metal dropbox outside the elections board office on Wednesday for voters to put their primary election ballots. The box was made by inmates at the Trumbull Correctional Institution in Warren.

WARREN — While they aren’t able to vote in this month’s primary election, Trumbull Correctional Institution inmates constructed a metal dropbox where voters may deposit their completed absentee election ballots.

The large black dropbox was placed Wednesday in front of the Trumbull County Board of Elections office in Warren.

Elections Director Stephanie Penrose said while a smaller dropbox already is available inside the building’s front entrance, it only is accessible during business hours. The new larger box now will be available 24 hours per day until the April 28 Ohio primary election voting deadline.

Elections Board Deputy Director Ron Massullo said for election security, dual locks — colored red and blue — require two keys to open.

Penrose explained a Republican and Democrat staff member will have keys: “Neither of us can open the box without the other one. Everything here is done bipartisan, including emptying the drop box. People can mail in their ballots, but for those who don’t, they can drop the ballots off this way, even if we are not here,” Penrose said.

State Rep. Michael O’Brien, D-Warren, was involved in requesting the help of the state prison located on Warren’s west side. The need for the dropbox became especially evident when the Legislature last month voted to extend voting in this year’s primary election to April 28. The move stemmed from a decision by the Ohio Department of Health to postpone in-person voting last month because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voters now may vote only by mail.

O’Brien said this box will allow voters the option of dropping off their ballots rather than using the U.S. Postal Service.

O’Brien said he contacted TCI Warden LaShawn Eppinger to request the prisoners’ help. They agreed.

“By helping to do this, they contributed to the voting process — even though they are not permitted to vote. They made it easier for the Trumbull County Board of Elections to receive and secure absentee ballots, and the prisoners played a role in the election process,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said this is just another example of how everyone “is in this together” because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Julie Loomis, TCI warden’s assistant, said inmates working in the welding shop in the prison constructed the box within three days.

“The board of elections will be able to use it through April 28, and then we will have it brought back here and use it for storing contraband and other items,” Loomis said. “It was neat project for them to do to help the voters this election.”