Voter registration deadline is today!

This year's Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, March 6. The following are timelines to be aware of if you want to vote during the Primary Election.

Voter registration deadline

The deadline to register to vote for the Primary Election is Monday, February 6. You can register to vote in person at any of these places:

• Agencies that provide public assistance or disability programs
• Public libraries
• Public high schools or vocational schools
• County board of elections
• Any deputy registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
• The Office of the Ohio Secretary of State
• County treasurers' offices

You can also print a Voter Registration Form from the Ohio Secretary of State's website and register by mail. The envelope must be postmarked by 30 days before the election. This is also the form to use if you have a change of name or address.

For more information on registering to vote, see LRS' Register to Vote Frequently Asked Questions.

Absentee ballot requests

In Ohio, you can vote early by requesting an absentee ballot from your county board of elections. If you already requested an absentee ballot, it will be mailed to you sometime on or after January 31. If you have not requested an absentee ballot and would like one, you still have time. Your request must be received in writing by your county board of elections by noon on Saturday, March 3. However, the Ohio Secretary of State (SOS) recommends you submit your request as soon as possible to ensure there is sufficient time for the board to mail you a ballot and for you to return the ballot. You can also vote absentee at an early voting location in the county where you live.

If returning your absentee ballot by mail, your marked ballot must either be received by your county board of elections prior to the close of the polls on Election Day, or postmarked no later than the day before the election and received by the board of elections no later than 10 days after the election.

For more information, read LRS' online article on Early Voting or see the Voting Absentee section of the SOS website.

Early voting

Early voting in Ohio for the Primary Election began on Tuesday, January 31. You can either return your Absentee Ballot Form to the early voting location in your county or vote absentee by using the voting machine at the location. The deadline to vote early is 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 2. Locations and regular business hours for in-person absentee voting vary from county to county. Check with your county board of elections for details.