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

1. You are a citizen of the United States.
2. You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the General Election. If you will be 18 on or before the day of the General Election, you may vote in the primary election. You can vote for candidates who will appear on the General Election Ballot only and not on any issues.
3. You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election.
4. You are not incarcerated (in prison) for a felony conviction.
5. You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court.
6. You have not been permanently disfranchised for violations of the election laws.

NEW starting in 2006 and for all future elections

R.C. 3505.18 now requires each elector, upon appearing at the polling place to vote, to announce his or her full name and current address and provide proof of the elector's identity.

• Voters must bring identification to the polls. The forms of identification that may be used by a voter who appears at a polling place to vote on election day include:

1. his or her current and valid Ohio driver's license; OR
2. his or her photo identification card issued by the State of Ohio or the United States government; OR
3. his or her military identification showing the voter's name; OR
4. an original or copy of a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill with the voter's name & current address; OR
5. an original or copy of a current (within the last 12 months) bank statement with voter's name & current address; OR
6. an original or copy of a current (within the last 12 months) paycheck with the voter's name & current address; OR
7. an original or copy of a current (within the last 12 months) government check with voter's name & address; OR
8. an original or copy of another government document (other than a voter registration notification mailed by a board of elections) with the voter's name & 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.

• WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.

How is residence determined?

• By law your residence is the place to which, whenever you are absent, you have the intent to return. Leaving for temporary purposes, such as military service or school attendance, does not result in a change of residence for voting purposes, unless you register in the area where you are currently residing.

Can a student vote from his/her school address?

• Yes, if the student regards that place as his/her residence and registers to vote. Otherwise, the student must vote either in person, or by an absentee ballot, in his/her home community if registered.

You may vote by absentee for any reason.

How do I apply?

Write or come to the board of elections and request an absentee ballot, giving the following information A form is available from the board of elections (and on this web site) for convenience, but is not required):

A written application for absentee ballots is needed and must contain ALL

of the following:

• The voter's name;
• The voter's signature;
• The address at which the voter is registered to vote;
• The voter's date of birth;

• ONE of the following:

  The voter's Ohio driver's license number or number from voter's State of Ohio photo identification; (this number is located left hand side, middle of card beginning with two letters)

  OR the last four digits of the voter's social security number;

  OR a copy of a current and valid photo identification, military identification, or a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document (other than a voter registration notification mailed by a board of elections) that shows the voter's name and address.

• A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballot is requested;
• A statement that the person requesting the ballot is a qualified elector;
• If the request if for primary election ballot, the voter's party affiliation; and
• If the voter wants the ballot to be mailed; the address to which it shall be mailed;

If any of this information is not provided, the application cannot be processed.

Note: In the case of medical emergencies, the absentee ballot request deadline is 3 p.m. on election day. To be eligible under this provision, you must be confined in a hospital because of a medical emergency. A close relative may deliver and return your ballot if you so request. State the relative's name and relationship on the application. The voter still must sign the application. Representatives of the board of elections can also be requested to deliver the ballot to Magruder Hospital in Port Clinton.

Can application be made in person?

• Yes.

What is the deadline for applying for absentee ballots?

Your written request for ballots to be mailed must be received at the Board by:

• 12:00 noon of the Saturday before the election.
• 3 p.m. on election day in the case of medical emergencies (see note above).

• Requests to vote absentee ballots in person at the Board of Elections office must be made by 4:30 p.m. on the day before the election.

All voted absentee ballots must be received at the board office by 7:30 p.m. on election day in order to be counted. Voters should request an absentee ballot as early as possible in order to meet the return deadline.

Exception: Ballots mailed out of the country will be counted if post-marked by election day and received by the board no later than 10 days after election day or for a presidential primary election no later than 20 days after the election.

ABSENTEE VOTING - (419)-898-3071 

or toll free at (800) 697-9807

Toll free number can only be used when calling from within

Ottawa County and on a regular telephone (not a cell phone)

Armed Service Absentee Voting

Who may vote armed service absentee ballots?

If you are serving in the U.S. armed forces on active duty outside the state, you, your spouse and dependents may vote by an armed service absentee ballot if you otherwise meet the requirements for voting in Ohio. Your spouse and dependents may vote by an armed service absentee ballot only if they left Ohio to be with you.

What is the voting residence of a service member?

The place where you resided when you first entered the service, unless you later establish a voting residence elsewhere in Ohio.

Must armed service absentee voters register?

• No.

How do I apply for armed service absentee ballots?

You, your spouse or a close relative may request the board of elections to mail a ballot to you. Application may be made in person or by mail. An Ohio application form (if using this form add a statement that you are in the U.S. armed forces, a spouse or dependent and the length of time you have resided at the address that you are registered) or a federal post card application may be used for convenience, but neither is required; however, all mail requests must include the following information:

• The voter's name;
• The voter's signature;
• The address at which the voter is registered to vote;
• The voter's date of birth;

• ONE of the following:

  The voter's Ohio driver's license number or number from voter's State of Ohio photo identification; (this number is located left hand side, middle of card beginning with two letters)

  OR the last four digits of the voter's social security number;

  OR a copy of a current and valid photo identification, military identification, or a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document (other than a voter registration notification mailed by a board of elections) that shows the voter's name and address.

• A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;
• A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified elector;
• If the request if for primary election ballots, the voter's party affiliation; and
• If the voter wants the ballots to be mailed; the address to which they shall be mailed;

If any of this information is not provided, the application cannot be processed.

Can I apply in person?

• Yes.

What is the deadline for applying?

Requests to have ballots mailed must be received at the Board by:

• 12:00 noon of the Saturday before the election.

Requests to vote Armed Services ballots in person at the Board of elections office must be made by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

Overseas Absentee Ballots must be postmarked by 7:30 p.m. on the date of the election and received by the board of elections no later than 10 days after the election, or for a presidential primary election, no later than 20 days after the election.

ARMED SERVICE VOTING INFORMATION

(419)-898-3071 

or toll free at (800) 697-9807

Toll free number can only be used when calling from within

Ottawa County and on a regular telephone (not a cell phone)

Voting Procedures

Where do I vote?

• Each voter must cast his/her ballot at the polling place designated to serve the precinct in which he/she resides.
• Click here for a list of all polling locations & their addresses.

Can a voter ever receive assistance in voting?

• Any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer, or officer or agent of the voter's union, or a candidate whose name appears on the ballot. If no such person is at hand, two election officials of opposite political parties may enter the voting booth to assist. These officials may not disclose any information about how you voted.
• NEW (starting in 2006) IN ALL POLLING LOCATIONS is a voting device called the AutoMARK. This will enable voters with disabilities and other special needs (such as those who need to have print on the ballot enlarged, white type on black, the blind, or those who are unable to grip a pen) to have their paper ballot marked by the AutoMARK. This allows the voter to vote privately and independently.

Primary Elections

What is the difference between a primary and a general election?

• In a primary election the members of each party nominate candidates for the general election.
• In a general election all voters elect officials from the party nominees and independent candidates.

How do I establish which party's ballot I am entitled to vote?

• If you are a new voter, you may vote the primary ballot of any political party. You are declaring yourself a member of the party whose ballot you request.
• You may not vote in the primary of another party unless you change your affiliation and sign a statement to that effect.

May I vote on issues in a primary without declaring my politics?

• Yes. If you are qualified to vote on issues at a primary election, you may vote on such issues without voting for the candidates of a political party. Issues are on a separate non-partisan ballot.