CHESAPEAKE — The cold weather Friday morning may have kept some away, but the couple who did brave the elements for John Carey’s constituent meeting had a range of topics to discuss with the state senator.

At least once a quarter Carey holds these open door meetings, usually at the Chesapeake or Proctorville branches of the public library. It’s one of his ways of keeping tabs with the concerns of the voters of the 17th District, he says.

“I like to be in the different towns. It keeps me staying in touch,” he said.

The election was still on the mind of Ernie Schlatt of Proctorville who talked with Carey about the early voting issue and the five-day period that allows voters to register then immediately cast a ballot.

The early voting legislation passed a couple of years ago, Carey said. But SB 380 is designed to address what Carey called “the loophole,” that allows the same day registration-voting.

“They would have huge rallies at OSU and then send people over to register and vote,” Carey said. “Thousands of people at the same time.”

The bill would also address the refusal of Secretary of State Jennifer Bruner to share state databases with local board of elections whose aim would be to prevent duplicate registration.

Schlatt told Carey that it was his understanding that in states that did not have Ohio’s version of early voting there was “little to none voter fraud.”

The Wellston Republican said the legislature had to work to eliminate this situation, but “not make it a partisan issue.”

AARP volunteer Ann Lemley of South Point came to talk to Carey about the governor’s recent cutting of slots on the assisted living waiting list.

This was changed, Carey said, and also told her that an amendment has been added to HB 420 that would allow use of different funds to cover assisted living costs and eliminate the waiting list.

The House Bill, which focuses on transparency in government, is expected for a Senate vote on Dec. 2, Carey said.