Ohio

Welcome to the Ohio state page! Here, Ohio organizers can access and document ongoing projects, current leadership positions, upcoming races, and other important information. This list is non-exhaustive, and state teams are encouraged to expand and adapt these pages to their organizing needs.

You are qualified to register to vote in Ohio if you meet all the following requirements:

• You are a citizen of the United States.
• You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the general election.
• You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote.
• You are not incarcerated (in jail or in prison) for a felony conviction.
• You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court.
• You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violations of election laws.

ID need to register

You may register to vote online, in person or by mail.

Online

To register online you will need to provide the following:

• Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number
• Name
• Date of Birth
• Address
• Last four digits of your Social Security number

If you do not have any portion of the required information, follow this link to update your voting address using our paper form (PDF). Once you complete this form, you must sign and send it to your county board of elections.

If you are a Safe at Home participant, before you proceed, please follow this link to contact the Safe at Home office.

You must provide proof of ID to vote.

The forms of identification that may be used include:

• An unexpired Ohio driver’s license or state identification card with a present or former address so long as your present residential address is printed in the official list of registered voters for that precinct;
• U.S. military IDs, including Ohio National Guard
• A photo identification that was issued by the United States government or the State of Ohio that contains your name and current address and that has an expiration date that has not passed;
  • BMV issued Ohio license or ID card (old address acceptable)
  • U.S. Military, U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs, or Ohio National Guard card, U.S. Passport Book/Card
  • Note: State University IDs are not a valid form of photo ID to vote
• Probationary and restricted driver's licenses are permitted

Note: You can no longer substitute a valid photo ID with a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document containing your name and address. If you do not have a valid photo ID at the polls, you may vote a provisional ballot. For that ballot to be counted, you must present a photo ID at the office of the Board of Elections no later than the fourth day after Election Day.

Individual exceptions to the Voter ID rules may be made for religious reasons.

Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline

Early Voting

Early (in-person absentee ballot) voting starts 28 days before the election. All registered voters may request and vote an absentee ballot in person at their county board of elections or voting center as designated by the county.

Note: Beginning in 2023, early voting will no longer be available on the Monday before Election Day. To find the early voting hours in your county, please click here.

For specific information on times and locations, contact your board of elections.

Absentee voting in Ohio is available and no excuse is required. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 7 days before an election.

Your marked absentee ballot must be postmarked by the day before Election Day and received no later than four days after the election in order to be counted. It can also be returned in person before the close of the polls on Election Day.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ABSENTEE?

Any registered voter in Ohio.

HOW DO I REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

You can request an absentee ballot and return the completed form through mail or in person.

You can request your absentee ballot for each election beginning on January 1st or 90 days before Election Day, whichever is earlier, but you must submit a separate absentee ballot application for each election in which you want to vote.

To request your absentee ballot, you must use the Secretary of State's official absentee ballot application form. Previously, applications were accepted in any form as long as all the required information was included, but the law has since changed.

Absentee Ballot Voting

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

The last day to request an absentee ballot is 7 days before the election.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

Absentee ballots must be received before the close of the polls on Election Day, or postmarked by the day before an election and received no later than four days after the close of the polls.

WHEN DOES ABSENTEE VOTING START?

Absentee voting begins 29 days before an election.

Once absentee ballots are available for voting, you may either vote in person at your county board of elections office or receive and return the absentee ballot via US mail or overnight delivery services, such as FedEx or UPS.

HOW DO I GET MY ABSENTEE BALLOT AFTER I HAVE APPLIED?

When absentee voting begins, you can receive your absentee ballot either by mail or in person.

By mail: You must mail your completed absentee ballot application with your original signature to your county board of elections. The board must receive your application 7 days before the election, but you should submit your request as far in advance of the election as possible to ensure you receive your absentee ballot before the election.

In-person: You can go to your county board of elections office during regular business hours after absentee ballots are available for voting, but no later than the day before the election, and request, receive, and immediately vote your ballot at the board office.

For more information, please contact the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

CAN I TRACK MY MAILED ABSENTEE BALLOT?

You can sign up to track your absentee ballot through the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.

WHAT IF I REQUESTED AN ABSENTEE BALLOT BUT WANT TO VOTE IN PERSON?

If you requested an absentee ballot, you can still vote in person.

If you would like to vote at the county Early Vote Center you can during the Early Voting period and you can vote a regular ballot. If you would like to vote on Election Day you can, but you will have to vote a provisional ballot. You will be asked for your absentee ballot during Early Voting, but if you do not have it with you, you can still vote on a regular ballot.

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT IF I AM HOSPITALIZED ON ELECTION DAY?

If you are hospitalized on Election Day, regardless of where you are hospitalized, you must submit a properly completed and signed request to the board of elections of the county where your voting residence is located by 3:00 p.m. on Election Day.

To be eligible under this provision, you must be confined in a hospital because of an unforeseeable medical emergency, and your application must specify where, when, and why you came to be hospitalized.

You may include in your absentee ballot application a request that your county board of elections give your unmarked ballot to a designated relative. A relative includes: your spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, son, daughter, adopted parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece. Your relative would then deliver the ballot to you in the hospital and return it to the board office after you have voted it.

If you are hospitalized in the same county where you are registered to vote, two representatives of the board of elections can deliver the ballot to you and return it to the board office.

HOW DO I REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AS AN OVERSEAS OR US MILITARY VOTER?

Overseas citizens and US military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.