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1. Introduction
2. Who Is Qualified To Vote?
3. Must I Register?
4. Where Can I Register? (Registering
By Mail)
5. Do I Declare My Polictics When I
Register?
6. What If I Change My Address Or Name?
(Exceptions)
7. Is TDD Assistance Available?
8. Where Can I Vote?
9. When Does Voter Registration Close?
Voting is a privilege for citizens of the United States. Information
that will be helpful to you about voting in the state of Ohio is listed below.
If you have questions that are unanswered after reading this
document you may call your Board of Elections for further assistance.
Ohio’s first formal count of voters age 21 and over began on
August 1, 1803. Ohio’s first law requiring registration of voters was enacted in
1845.
Today, although more than 6 million Ohioans are registered to vote,
many citizens remain unregistered and ineligible to vote. It’s easy to register by
mailing a registration form to the Secretary of State or at any of the designated
registration sites below.
You are Qualified to vote if:
- You are a citizen of the United States.
- You are 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 for candidates only, but not on the issues.
- You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the
election.
- You register to vote at least 30 days before the election.
Does Everyone have to be registered to vote?
- At any county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s
Office.
- At branch registration offices or locations established by a board of
elections.
- At any public high school or vocational school.
- At the office of any Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
- At offices of designated agencies which provide public assistance or
disability programs .
- Public libraries.
- County treasurer’s office.
- You may request a registration form from the board of elections or
the Secretary of State’s office by mail, telephone, in person or by having another
person obtain it for you or by printing the Voter Registration Form on this Website. After
completing the form, return it to the board of elections or Secretary of State’s
office by mail.
- Mailed registration forms sent to a county board of elections or the
Secretary of State’s office must be postmarked 30 days before an election to be
valid.
- Registration forms not mailed in must be received by a board of
elections, the Secretary of State’s office, public high school or vocational school,
public library, office of any Bureau of Motor Vehicles, county treasurer’s office or
designated agencies 30 days before an election to be valid for that election.
- No. Under Ohio law, your party affiliation is determined by the
ballot you vote in a primary election.
- If you are registered and move within the state or same county or
change your name, you must report the change to the board of elections by completing a
voter registration form at the locations stated above or by mail as stated above.
- You may also complete a notice of change in voting status and file it
with the court when you apply for a marriage license or when your name is changed by court
order.
- Mailed forms sent to a county board of elections or the Secretary of
State’s office must be postmarked 30 days before an election to be valid for the
election.
- Forms not mailed in must be received by a board of elections, the
Secretary of State’s office, public high school, or vocational school, public
library, office of any Bureau of Motor Vehicles, county treasurer’s office of
designated agencies 30 days before an election to be valid for that election.
The Secretary of State’s office maintains a phone line to
provide information on registration and voting for deaf and hard of hearing citizens. The
number is (614) 466-0562.
- You can cast your ballot at the polling place designated to serve the
precinct in which you reside. If you are in doubt as to the location of this polling
place, check with the Board of Elections in your county.
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