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Ohio
Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 30 days before Election Day
2023
Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline: April 3
Primary Election: May 2
Special Election Voter Registration Deadline: July 10
Special Election: August 8
General Election Voter Registration Deadline: October 10
General Election: November 7
Official Election Websites
More election information at:
sos.state.oh.us/elections/voters
Online voter registration available at:
Mail ln voter registration form available at:
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?
*Taking Effect April 7th, 2023
Voters who vote in person during the early voting period must provide an unexpired photo ID. The accepted forms of photo ID are limited to an Ohio driver’s license or BMV-issued state ID; U.S. Passport or Passport Card; or Military ID.
Those who vote at the polls on Election Day must show one of the following types of ID that is not expired:
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:
Applications must be received by your county board of elections by the close of business on the seventh day before Election Day.
Voters with disabilities may receive their ballots through the state’s remote ballot marking system. More information is available at: bit.ly/OH-RemoteBallotMarking.
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.
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: 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
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
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.
Status as a Dependent on Your 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.
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?
Registering to vote in Ohio does not explicitly affect your driver’s license or car registration. However, as a new resident of Ohio, you may be required to make changes to your driver’s license or car registration regardless of whether you register to vote there. You may wish to contact the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles for more information.
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 2023