Tuesday is last day to register to vote in November election
The registration deadline to vote is quickly approaching.
For some, it’s your first time registering to vote; for others, this is your year to get back into the swing of things at the polls.
Either way, here’s your guide to registering to vote before November’s general election, starting with frequently asked questions.
What is the registration deadline for voting in Ohio?
To vote on Nov. 7 in the general election, you have to be registered by tomorrow.
In all elections, voters must be registered with updated information 30 days before an election.
Can you register online?
According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, you just need to provide the following to register online to vote:
- Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number
- The last four digits of your Social Security number
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Current address
Can you register in person?
There are also ways to register in person at many government offices, like any of the 88 county boards of elections and treasurer offices.
Register to vote at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and public institutions like libraries, high schools and vocational schools.
You can also register by going to the offices of the following designated agencies:
- The Department of Job and Family Services;
- The Department of Health (including the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program);
- The Department of Mental Health;
- The Department of Developmental Disabilities;
- Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities or
- The office of any state-assisted college or university responsible for assisting students with disabilities.
Can you register by mail?
You can also register to vote by filling out a PDF and sending your application through the U.S. mail.
It must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline, Oct. 10, to be eligible to vote in this general election.
Send your properly completed and signed registration application to the office of a county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s Office.
Don’t forget to sign your registration form for it to be valid.
What if you moved?
What if your physical address in Ohio changes or your last name is different?
The Secretary of State says you must complete a new form online.
Here’s what the website says to do:
“For change of address purposes only, all Ohio voters can also use the Secretary of State’s Online Change of Address System at www.VoteOhio.gov. You can also check your voter registration and find other important voting information here.
Suppose your change of name and/or address form is completed properly. In that case, the board of elections will update your registration and send you a notice reflecting your new name and/or address. If your form needs to be completed, the board will send you a notice of the information necessary to update your registration. Suppose your valid change of name and/or address form is received or postmarked by the voter registration deadline. In that case, you will be eligible to vote on a regular (rather than a provisional) ballot at that election.
You may also update your registration during the 28 days immediately before, or on the day of, an election, but this may require you to vote a provisional ballot. For more information about provisional ballots, click here.
Suppose you are already registered to vote but have changed your name after the voter registration deadline. In that case, you may appear at your polling location on Election Day, provide proof of legal name change, complete SOS-prescribed form 10-L and cast a regular ballot.”
Do you declare political affiliation during registration?
No: “Under Ohio election law, you declare your affiliation with a political party by requesting the ballot of that party in a partisan primary election.”
What happens next?
The county board of elections will contact voters by mail, letting them know if they need to fix any details in their registration.
If everything is approved, the next thing voters will get in the mail is a voting residence address confirming that they are registered to vote, identifying their voting precinct and the location of their precinct.
They’ll also let you know what identification you’ll need for voting.
More information is available on the Ohio Secretary of State website.
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