How to vote in Ohio
Ohio voter registration guide
Ohio voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): 30 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked 30 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 30 days before Election Day
Check your Ohio voter registration status
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Ohio registration using the Ohio voter registration lookup site.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
Ohio voter registration rules
In order to register to vote in Ohio, you must meet these requirements:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be 18 years old by the next General Election
- be a resident of Ohio for the 30 days before Election Day
- not be incarcerated for a felony conviction (if you have been convicted of violating Ohio's election laws three or more times, you must receive a pardon in order to be eligible to vote)
- not have been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court.
Ohio online voter registration
You can register to vote online if you have an Ohio driver license, driver permit, or nondriver photo ID card.
- Visit the Ohio online voter registration site.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 30 days before Election Day .
Ohio by-mail voter registration
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Enter your Ohio driver’s license number. If you don't have one, enter the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you don’t have either number, write "NONE" in this space.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You do not need to register with a party in order to take part in that party’s primary election. Party affiliation is established by voting at a primary election.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked 30 days before Election Day .
Ohio in-person voter registration
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Your voter registration form must include your Ohio driver's license number, Ohio state ID card number, or the last four of your Social Security number.
Ohio same day registration
Registering to vote in Ohio with a felony conviction
Voting rights are restored automatically upon release from prison. You can register to vote unless you have multiple convictions for violating Ohio election laws. Ohio restoration information
Ohio absentee and mail ballot guide
Ohio absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
Ohio absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 7 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 7 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked 1 day BEFORE Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day
Ohio absentee ballot rules
Any registered Ohio voter can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
Ohio online ballot request
Ohio does not allow you to request your ballot online.
Ohio by-mail ballot request
In addition to the completed absentee ballot application, you must include a photocopy of your photo identification.
Ohio in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 7 days before Election Day .
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided drop box. Please check with your local election office if your county has a drop box. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official drop box.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked 1 day BEFORE Election Day .
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day .
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Ohio absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:
You must provide your Ohio driver's license number or the last 4 digits of your social security number on your absentee ballot application. If you do not have either number, you must include a photocopy of a different form of current photo identification. Acceptable forms of ID (must not be expired):
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A US passport
- A US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
The copy of the photo ID must include images of the front and back, except for a passport which must include the passport's identification page.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:
You must provide your Ohio driver's license number or the last 4 digits of your social security number on your identification envelope. If you do not have either number, you must include a photocopy of a different form of current photo identification. Acceptable forms of ID (must not be expired):
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A US passport
- A US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
The copy of the photo ID must include images of the front and back, except for a passport which must include the passport's identification page.
Ohio absentee ballot tracker
Track your ballot here: Ohio absentee ballot tracker
Ohio absentee ballot curing
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if you forget to sign it or if the signature does not match the one that the state has on file for you.
- You must make corrections by 5:00 pm on the 4th day after Election Day for your vote to count.
Ohio emergency ballots
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot RulesIf you or your minor child are hospitalized as a result of an accident or unforseeable medical emergency occurring before Election Day, you may apply for an absentee ballot. The application must be in writing and delivered to the board of elections no later than 3PM Election Day. The application must include the name of the hospital, the hospitalization date, and the offices you are qualified to vote for. You may have a family member retrieve the ballot for you, otherwise the board will arrange for a ballot to be delivered to the hospital for you.
- Emergency ballot request starts close of business 3 days before Election Day
- Emergency ballot request ends 3PM Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is Election Day
Contact your local election office
Ohio early voting guide
Ohio early voting dates
- Early voting starts: 28 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 2 days before Election Day
What to bring
You must show ID to vote at the polls. Acceptable forms of ID (must not be expired):
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A US passport
- A US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
If you do not have an acceptable form of ID, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
Ohio voter ID guide
ID requirements for voting in person
You must show ID to vote at the polls. Acceptable forms of ID (must not be expired):
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A US passport
- A US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
If you do not have an acceptable form of ID, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
ID requirements when requesting an absentee or mail ballot
You must provide your Ohio driver's license number or the last 4 digits of your social security number on your absentee ballot application. If you do not have either number, you must include a photocopy of a different form of current photo identification. Acceptable forms of ID (must not be expired):
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A US passport
- A US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
The copy of the photo ID must include images of the front and back, except for a passport which must include the passport's identification page.
ID requirements when returning an absentee or mail ballot
You must provide your Ohio driver's license number or the last 4 digits of your social security number on your identification envelope. If you do not have either number, you must include a photocopy of a different form of current photo identification. Acceptable forms of ID (must not be expired):
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A US passport
- A US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
The copy of the photo ID must include images of the front and back, except for a passport which must include the passport's identification page.
ID requirements for online voter registration
You can register to vote online if you have an Ohio driver license, driver permit, or nondriver photo ID card.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Ohio elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Secretary of State of Ohio Elections Division 180 E. Broad Street - 15th Floor Columbus, OH 43215
External resources
- Ohio online voter registration
- Ohio voter status lookup
- Ohio absentee ballot tracker
- Ohio polling place locator