Voter Registration - ID Requirement - Election Day Voting - Early In-Person Voting - Absentee Voting - Provisional Voting - Primary System

State Contact Information

Elections Division
180 East Broad Street, 15th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215 USA
Phone: (614) 466-2685
Fax: (614) 752-4360
Toll Free: (877) 767-6446
Email: election@sos.state.oh.us.
Website: www.sos.state.oh.us

Voter Registration
Who can register to vote:

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

Qualified voters are eligible to vote in elections held in voting precinct more than 30 consecutive days after one is duly registered to vote in this state.

How to register to vote:

Download: Any qualified person can register to vote by downloading the Voter Application Form. You also may ask your county board of elections for the Ohio County Boards of Elections Directory or the Secretary of State's office to mail a registration form to you.

In person:

Qualified voters may obtain a form in person, and register in person, at any of the following locations:

• The office of the Secretary of State or any of the 88 county boards of elections;
• The office of any Deputy Registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles;
• Public libraries;
• Public high schools or vocational schools;
• County treasurers' offices; or
• Offices of designated agencies including:
• The Department of Job and Family Services;
• The Department of Health - Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program;
• The Department of Mental Health;
• The Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities;
• The Rehabilitation Services Commission; or
• Any state-assisted college or university that provides assistance to disabled students.

Once you have completed your voter registration form, please review it carefully for completeness and mail it or personally deliver it to your county board of elections or the Secretary of State's Office. Another person, or one of the offices listed below, may deliver it for you, but you will want to ensure it reaches the board no later than the close of registration (30 days before Election Day).

Close of Registration: 30 days before Election Day

First-time voters: Please note that first-time voters must provide their Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number on the Voter Registration Form. A "first-time" voter is an individual who is voting in an election in the state of Ohio for the first time. If the voter does provide either a current Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of the Social Security number, one will need to provide a copy of one of the following forms of identification that shows the name and current address:

• A current and valid photo identification,
• Military identification that shows the voter's name and current address, or
• A copy of a current utility bill,
• A copy of bank statement,
• A copy of government check,
• A copy of paycheck,
• Government document, other than a notice of an election or a voter registration notification sent by a board of elections,

If the voter does not provide the proof of identification or proof of residence, he or she will be required to supply it before voting.

Proof of residence does not include any piece of mail addressed to the voter.

If you cannot supply acceptable Proof-of-Residence, your registration form can be substantiated and signed by one other elector who resides in your municipality, corroborating your residency information. The corroborator must then provide acceptable Proof-of-Residence.

ID Requirement
Identification at the polls is required for all voters who registered by mail or in person. Proof of ID must contain a complete name, including both the first and last name, and a current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address. Forms which have an expiration date must be valid on Election Day in order to constitute acceptable proof of identification/ residence at that election.
Both photo and non-photo ID are accepted (see below for examples of acceptable forms of ID).

Acceptable Forms of ID
Early and Absentee Voting

• The last four digits of voter's Social Security number;
• Driver's license number
• Current and valid photo identification, (i.e. Ohio driver's license, state ID, government ID). Photo identification must show name and address
• Copy of current utility bill (including cell phone bill), bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the voter's name and current address (including from a public college or university).

Election Day Voting
On Election Day, you cast your ballot at your precinct's designated polling place between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. If you do not know where your precinct polling place is located, please contact your county board of elections for the county boards of elections directory.
Acceptable Forms of ID

• A current and valid photo identification,
• Military identification that shows the voter's name and current address, or
• A copy of a current utility bill,
• A copy of bank statement,
• A copy of government check,
• A copy of paycheck,
• Government document, other than a notice of an election or a voter registration notification sent by a board of elections,

If the voter does not provide the proof of identification or proof of residence, he or she will be required to supply it before voting.

Voters who do not provide one of these documents will still be able to vote by providing the last four digits of the voter's social security number and by casting a provisional ballot. Voters, who do not have any of the above forms of identification, including a social security number, will still be able to vote by signing an affirmation swearing to the voter's identity under penalty of election falsification and by casting a provisional ballot.

Whatever form of proof you supply must contain a complete name, including both the first and last name; and a current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address. Forms which have an expiration date must be valid on Election Day in order to constitute acceptable proof of residence at that election.

Early Voting In Person (open)
How to vote early in person: Voters in Ohio may vote early in person, also referred to as absentee voting in person. Any registered voter may vote prior to Election Day in person at his or her Board of Elections office of the county, which voting residence is located during regular business hours after absentee ballots are available for voting, but no later than the day before the election, and request, receive and vote your ballot at the board office. For details, the voter should contact his or her Board of Elections' Office.

Absentee Voting (open)
Who can apply for an absentee ballot by mail: Any registered voter may apply for an absentee ballot without requiring the voter to state their reason or excuse for voting absentee.
How to request an absentee ballot by mail: Voters may download the Application for Absent Voter Ballot , complete the form and mail it to their municipal clerk's office.

*Please note that there are exceptions for military voters. Contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division or the Board of Elections in the Ohio county in which you previously resided.

When to Apply for an Absentee Ballot: Any registered voter may apply for an absentee ballot up until 5:00 pm on the day prior to Election Day.
When to Return Absentee Ballot: The completed ballot must be received by the Board of Elections Office no later than Election Day so that it can be delivered to the polling place by 7:30pm.

Provisional Voting (in precinct)
A provisional ballot is used to record a vote if a voter's eligibility is in question and the voter would otherwise not be permitted to vote at his or her polling place. The content of a provisional ballot is no different from a regular ballot, but it is cast "provisionally" until election officials can verify the voter's eligibility.

Every voter must provide proof of identity at the time of voting. A person who casts a provisional ballot and does not provide acceptable proof of identity at the time of voting is allowed to provide such proof within 10 days after the election, in accordance with law.

Primary System (modified closed)
Qualified voters may vote in the primary of the political party with which they wish to be affiliated. If a voter wishes to vote in the primary of a party different from that of what they voted in the previous election, the voter must complete a statement at his or her polling place confirming the change in their political party affiliation.

Voters who do not declare their political party affiliation may vote on the issues and questions, if any that are on the ballot in their precinct absent from a party's ballot by requesting an "issues-only" ballot.