Election Day Procedures
Voting is an important civil duty and we encourage you to vote in upcoming elections. You can check on the status of your voter registration at the Ohio Secretary of State website:
Check your Ohio Voter Registration Status
The Ohio Secretary of State has provided the following information regarding voting in Ohio. More details are available at their website.
Visit the Ohio Secretary of State website
Voting Requirements
• You have the right to vote in an Ohio election if you meet the following criteria:
• You are a U.S. citizen; and
• You will be at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the next general election; and
• You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote; and
• You are not incarcerated (in prison) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state, another state or the United States; and
• You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court; and
• You have not been permanently disfranchised for violations of election laws; and
• You are eligible to vote in election conducted in your voting precinct more than 30 consecutive days after you are properly registered to vote in this state.
Voting at the Precinct Polling Place
Where do I vote?
You cast your ballot at your precinct’s designated polling place, unless you vote a provisional ballot. If you do not know where your precinct polling place is located, contact your county board of elections. If you have access to the Internet, you may visit the Secretary of State’s Web site, www.sos.state.oh.us, for the location of your polling place.
How do I vote?
Instructions for casting a ballot are posted in each polling place. If you have any question about how to mark or cast your ballot, or if you have incorrectly marked or torn a ballot, immediately contact the precinct election officials (poll workers) for instructions before you cast your ballot.
May I receive assistance in voting?
A voter with a physical or mental disability or who is unable to read or write may be assisted by anyone of the voter’s choice, except a candidate whose candidacy is being voted on in that precinct, the voter’s employer or the employer’s agent, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. The voter also may be assisted by two poll workers of different political parties. No one who assists a voter may disclose any information about how that person voted.
How do I establish which political party’s ballot I am entitled to vote?
You may vote the primary ballot of the political party with which you currently wish to be affiliated. If you voted the primary ballot of a different political party in 2005 or 2006, you will complete a statement at your polling place confirming the change in your political party affiliation.
May I vote on ballot issues at a primary election without declaring my party affiliation?
Yes. You may vote on the issues and questions, if any, that are on the ballot in your precinct by requesting an “issues-only” ballot.
Will I need an ID to Vote?
Yes. Every voter will be required to provide proof of identity before voting. The form of identification that you may use includes your current and valid photo identification card, military identification, copy of utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or government document showing your name and current address. (Note: You cannot use as proof of identification a notice that the board of elections mailed to you.) If you do not have, or fail or refuse to provide, the required proof of identity, you may cast a provisional ballot.
Identification Requirements
Voters must bring identification to the polls in order to verify identity. Acceptable identification may include the following items:
• A current and valid government-issued photo ID
• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the voter's name and current address
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.
Overseas Voters
Visit the special website dedicated to military and overseas voter services: The Overseas Vote Foundation.
