Registering to Vote in Ohio
In order to vote in the State of Ohio you must register to vote before the specified registration deadline for any given election. Registering to vote in Ohio is made simple with a variety of registration options:
- Register at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles while applying for or renewing your license
- Register online
- Register by mail
Per voter registration guidelines, you must meet the following criteria to register to vote in Ohio:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day
- Be an Ohio resident for at least 30 days
- NOT be imprisoned for a felony conviction*
- NOT be declared incompetent to vote by a probate court
- NOT be permanently disqualified for violating an election law
*Your voting rights are restored upon your release from incarceration. You may be required to re-register to vote.
Visit the Ohio Secretary of State Website for online voter registration or to download the PDF for mail-in registration.
Ways to Vote in Ohio
For more information on each of the individual ways to vote in Ohio, please visit here.
Early In Person Voting Procedure
Cast your vote early and in person at any county board of elections or designated early voting center. You must request and vote absentee ballot in person, starting the day after registration deadlines specified for the election date.
Absentee Ballot
Request an absentee ballot to vote ahead of the general election from the comfort of your own home! You must request your absentee ballot at least three days before the election date.
Election Day Voting
On Election Day arrive at your designated polling place with a proper ID in order to cast your ballot.
If you do not know your polling place contact the county board of elections or search online here.
For accepted forms of ID, visit here.
Voting instructions may vary by polling place. Board of elections representatives are available to instruct each individual voter on how to cast their ballot.
Provisional Voting
A provisional ballot is used in the event that a voter’s eligibility comes into question and is held until eligibility is confirmed.
Military and Overseas Voters
For uniformed service members and overseas US residents, you may cast an absentee ballot for federal, state and local elections. Learn more here.
Voters with Disabilities
You may qualify to have a provisional ballot delivered to you. For more information visit here.
Hospitalized Voters
In the event of an unforeseen hospitalization for a registered voter or voter’s minor child you may request representatives of the board of elections to deliver a ballot to you to cast your vote. This request must be made by 3PM on Election Day.
Substitute Address / Safe at Home Program
For victims of domestic violence and other crimes of a sexual or stalking nature, the safe at home program offers a substitute address to cloak the victim’s true address from the public.
Always ensure your voter registration information is up to date and accurate. If you need to update your Ohio voter registration visit here.
To review your registration information, click here.
