Ohio Voting Requirements & Information

Upcoming Election Dates & Deadlines

Local Elections

Tue May 2, 2023 - Ohio Municipal Primary Elections

Voter Registration Deadline

Mon Apr 3, 2023

Absentee Ballot Request Deadline

Request for Postal Ballot by
Request for Postal Ballot by Tue Apr 25, 2023

Absentee Ballot Return Deadline

  • Postmarked by
    Mon May 1, 2023
  • In-Person - Received by
    Tue May 2, 2023
  • Post received by
    Sat May 6, 2023

Early Voting Available

Early Voting
Tue Apr 4, 2023 to Mon May 1, 2023
Includes all local county-level primaries.

General Information

Registration

You can register to vote or update your registration information:

  • by mail
  • in person at your elections office
  • on-line
  • at Bureau of Motor Vehicles
  • at public assistance agencies
  • at public schools and colleges
  • at public libraries

You must have resided in Ohio at least 30 days prior to the election in which you intend to vote.

Election Day Voting

Polling places are open from 630am to 730pm on Election Day. Curbside voting is no longer available as of 2023.

Find my polling place

Early Voting

Any voter may choose to vote early in person prior to Election Day by requesting and voting an absentee ballot at your county board of elections office or a designated voting center.

For specific information including times and locations for early in-person absentee voting, contact the local board of elections.

Absentee Voting

Ohio allows any registered voter to request an absentee ballot and vote by mail. The voter or the voter's family member may return the ballot.

You will now need to add postage to your envelope if you return your completed ballot by mail. One secure voter drop box will be available in each county if you'd like to drop your ballot off without adding postage.

Please visit the US Vote Disability Voting Guide to see accommodations for the registration and voting process.

Eligibility Requirements

You are eligible to vote in Ohio if you:

  • Are a U.S citizen
  • Are a resident of Ohio
  • Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
  • Live in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days prior to the election

You are NOT eligible to vote in Ohio if:

  • You have been permanently disenfranchised for violating the election laws
  • You are incarcerated (in prison or jail) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state, another state, or the United States
  • You were disqualified from voting due to a court order

Restorative Requirements

  • If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.

If you are a student, you are eligible to vote in Ohio if:

  • You reside in Ohio but are attending college in another state
  • You reside in another state but attend college in Ohio
  • You provide a valid photo student ID from a public college/university at the polls

Identification Requirements

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Ohio you should provide one of the following:

  • Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
  • Your Ohio Driver's License Number

If you do not have any of these IDs, you can provide a copy of one of the following with your registration application:

  • Current and Valid Photo ID
  • Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address
  • Utility Bill
  • Government Check
  • Valid Military ID
  • Bank Statement
  • Paycheck that Shows your Current Name and Address

Statements and bills should be dated within one year of Election Day A notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections is not a valid form of ID If you do not have one of these forms of ID and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org.

Voting In-Person

In Ohio, you need to show a current, valid ID to vote. Your ID must include your name, photo, and citizenship status. You may use ID from this list:

  • Valid Ohio Driver's License
  • Valid Ohio Voter ID Card
  • Valid US Passport
  • Valid Military ID

If you are 17 or older, you are eligible to get a free state ID to use for voting. County issued veteran IDs and student IDs will no longer be accepted.

To vote with an absentee ballot, please include acceptable ID including:

  • Your Ohio Driver's License Number
  • Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
  • Current and Valid Photo ID
  • Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
  • Valid Military ID

Voter Materials Transmission Options

Domestic Voter

In-Person

Mail

Fax

Email

Online

Voter Registration
Absentee Ballot Request
Blank Ballot To Voter
Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?

Upcoming Election Dates & Deadlines

Local Elections

Tue May 2, 2023 - Ohio Municipal Primary Elections

Voter Registration Deadline

  • Email or Fax by
    Email or Fax by Sun Apr 2, 2023
  • Postmarked by
    Sun Apr 2, 2023

Absentee Ballot Request Deadline

Received by
Sat Apr 29, 2023

Absentee Ballot Return Deadline

  • In Mailstream by
    Tue May 2, 2023
  • Received by
    Sat May 6, 2023

Eligibility Requirements

Overseas Voters

U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:

  • Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.

Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.

Military Voters

Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.

  • If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.

To vote as a service member or eligible family member:

  • Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.

Identification Requirements

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

  • U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
  • Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
  • Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form ("FPCA"). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

  • U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
  • Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
  • Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voter Materials Transmission Options

Overseas Voter

In-Person

Mail

Fax

Email

Online

Voter Registration
Absentee Ballot Request
Blank Ballot To Voter
Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

Military Voter

In-Person

Mail

Fax

Email

Online

Voter Registration
Absentee Ballot Request
Blank Ballot To Voter
Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?