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Ohio | Voting Guide
Voting Guide
Ohio
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 30 days before Election Day
2024 Election Information
Presidential Primary: March 19, 2024
Voter Registration Deadline: February 20
Mail-in Ballot Application Deadline: March 12
Special Election: August 6, 2024
Voter Registration Deadline: July 8
Mail-in Ballot Application Deadline: July 30
General Election: November 5, 2024
Voter Registration Deadline: October 7
Mail-in Ballot Application Deadline: October 29
Official Election Websites
More election information at:
www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/voters
Online voter registration available at:
Mail-in voter registration form available at:
https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/elections/forms/vr_form_04-2015.pdf
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
Ohio’s voter registration form asks for your Ohio driver’s license or ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
By Mail ID Requirement: The mail-in ballot request application asks for your Ohio driver’s license or state ID card number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Voters may provide a copy of a different valid photo ID including a state ID card, military ID card, US passport, or Ohio National Guard ID. Please visit this webpagefor additional information.
In-person ID Requirement: Voters who vote in person during the early voting period or on Election Day must provide an unexpired photo ID. The accepted forms of photo ID are:
Driver’s license or photo ID issued by the State of Ohio BMV (driver’s licenses and non-driver photo IDs issued by the Ohio BMV are acceptable even if the address does not match the address on the voter’s registration)
Military ID
US Passports and Passport Cards
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Track your absentee ballot, check your voter registration ststus, look up your voting site and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail: Registered voters have the right to vote by mail without an excuse. Instructions for applying for a mail ballot and a PDF application form are available at:
https://www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/voters/how-to-request-your-absentee-ballot/
Mail-in Ballot Application Deadline: Applications must be received by your county board of elections by the close of business on the seventh day before Election Day.
Completed Mail-in Ballot Return Deadline: The completed absentee ballot must be postmarked by the day before Election Day and received by the county board of elections by the fourth day following the election or returned in-person to the county board of elections before the close of the polls on Election Day. If you are in line to deposit your absentee ballot in the county drop box by the close of polls at 7:30pm, you have the right to deposit your ballot in the drop box.
Voters with disabilities may receive their ballots through the state’s remote ballot marking system. More information is available at: https://www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/voters/11-g/.
Early In-Person: Registered voters have the right to vote early in person without an excuse. Early in-person voting begins the day after the close of voter registration and ends on the Sunday before Election Day.
Check with your local board of elections for dates, hours, and locations, or at: https://www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/voters/toolkit/early-voting/.
Election Day: Voting sites will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time, then you have a right to cast your vote.
Common Questions/Concerns
Does Registering to Vote Affect my Federal Financial Aid?
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Does Registering to Vote Affect my Status as a Dependent on my Parents’ Taxes?
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Does Registering to Vote impact my Tuition Status?
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Ohio affect my driver’s license or car registration?
As a full-time student in Ohio, you may be required to obtain an Ohio driver's license and update your car’s registration, regardless of whether you register to vote there. For more information, contact the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Ohio legal professional.
Last updated February 2024