Absentee ballots must be requested a full week before the election, according to Ohio voting law. Here’s everything you need to know about voting absentee:
Voting by mail in Ohio
Election boards must receive requests for absentee ballots no later than 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. These applications are available at election board offices and online.
Montgomery County Board of Elections Deputy Director Russ Joseph on Monday reminded voters that any ballot requests that come into election board offices, even if they’re postmarked by Tuesday, will not result in a ballot being mailed out.
Ohio voter ID law requires people voting in-person to show an unexpired state photo ID. For absentee voting, Ohioans can use the last four digits of their Social Security numbers if they lack a valid ID card.
After receiving a completed ballot request, election officials will then mail a ballot to the applicant’s address.
Completed absentee ballots can be dropped off to election boards in person, at the board’s drop box or by mail. Mailed-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 6, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
Ohio’s new voting law, which went into effect earlier this year, required mailed-in ballots to arrive at their local election boards no later than four business days after the election. For Ohio’s general election, that date is Nov. 13.
Local early voting robust
The Montgomery County Board of Elections has projected high voter turnout for the general election and a busy early voting season due to hot statewide issues and multiple local races and levies being on the ballot.
As of last week, the election board has handled more than 22,000 ballots. Roughly 14,960 of these have been by mail, according to election board data.
Joseph urged voters to not wait until the last minute to mail off their ballots.
“If they have a ballot at home, please fill it out and return it as soon as possible,” he said.
In-person voting options
Voters who miss the deadline for ballot requests can still vote early by going to their local election board before Nov. 6.
When voting in-person, voters are required to show an unexpired state-issued ID card, like a driver’s license or an Ohio ID card.
Joseph said that in Montgomery County, the election board office has an extra room set aside for early voting on the office’s busiest days.
Ohio ID cards are also free at local BMV offices for any Ohioan 17 and older who can prove the following:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Legal presence in the U.S.
- Social Security number
- Ohio street address
- Legal name change (if applicable)
Here are Ohio’s early voting hours:
Oct 30: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 31: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 1-3: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 4: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nov. 5: 1-5 p.m.
Nov. 6: No in-person voting hours
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