Polling locations will open across the state at 6:30 a.m. on Election Day and stay open until 7:30 p.m.
Here’s what you need to know to vote in the general election:
Strong early voting season
Early voting hours for Sunday are 1-5 p.m. at election board offices. No in-person early voting hours are held on the Mondays before Election Day, according to Ohio voting law.
Election officials projected high voter turnout and a busy early voting season for the general election, pointing to two statewide issues and numerous local races driving people to the polls.
In Montgomery County, officials have handled nearly 26,500 absentee and in-person early ballots as of Friday. Neighboring Greene County’s election board has handled more than 14,000, while Warren County has handled roughly 18,500.
These figures outpace all of the ballots each election board handled during early voting for the 2021 general election — the most recent election similar to this one.
Photo ID requirements
Voters wanting to cast a ballot in-person should make sure they bring a valid photo I.D. to the polls to comply with voter I.D. laws that went into effect this year.
Valid forms of identification include an unexpired Ohio driver license or a U.S. passport; invalid forms of identification include out-of-state driver licenses and Social Security cards. The complete list can be found at the Secretary of State website.
Ohio in April began issuing free state ID cards to people 17 and older. In order to obtain a state ID card, applicants must provide proof of their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, citizenship and Ohio street address.
Voters who do not have a valid photo ID can still cast a provisional ballot on Election Day. Ohioans have four days to return to their election board to prove their identity with an unexpired photo ID, however.
Turn in absentee ballots
The deadline to request an absentee ballot from local election boards was Oct. 31. Absentee ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Monday and received by their local election board by Nov. 13.
Absentee ballots can be turned in to election boards in-person by the voter or a voter’s close relative by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Voters can also drop off their ballots in their county’s election board drop box.
Getting to the polls
Transportation is a barrier for many Ohioans who want to vote in their local elections.
The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is providing free rides system-wide to help people get to their polling locations on Tuesday.
“RTA understands the necessity for reliable transportation to fulfill this constitutional right,” RTA shared in a release. “Along with providing thousands of riders with daily transportation to work, medical appointments and other activities, this Election Day program ensures the polls remain accessible for all.”
Miami Valley voters can find their polling locations on their local election board’s website.
Election Day concerns
Kenny Henning, the Southwest Ohio regional liaison for the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, advised that voters with questions or concerns about their polling locations contact their local election board.
Concerned voters also reach out to the non-partisan Election Protection voter hotline at 866-OURVOTE.
Dayton Daily News also wants to hear from voters. The newsroom can be reached at 937-610-7502.
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