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Voting Information: How Do I...?

Registering to vote is the easy part!

Did you know that in November 2023, less than half of people registered to vote in Ohio actually made it to the polls? The library wants to help you make a plan that ensures your voice is heard. 

Voting is easy, but if you haven't voted before, you may be nervous or unsure about how it works. This guide will answer the most common questions people have about voting and help you to make a voting plan. Library staff members are here to help, so if your question isn't answered here, please reach out to us or stop by to see us. 

 

Click to go directly to your question or scroll through them all. Still have a question that isn't answered here? Ask Us! Contact the library by email, text, chat, phone call, or by stopping by. 

How do I register or check my registration?

How do I register to vote?

In Ohio, you can register to vote or update your voter registration information online by visiting the Secretary of State online form.

To be eligible to vote in Ohio you must meet ALL of the following requirements:

  • You must be a US citizen
  • You will be at least 18 years old on the day of the election
  • You have been a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election
  • You are not incarcerated for a felony
  • You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court
  • You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violating election laws

To register online you will need to provide the following:

  • Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number
  • Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Address
  • Last four digits of your Social Security number

 

Not from Ohio? Find your state's information in the state by state guide at Campus Vote Project's website


How do I check my voter registration?

In Ohio, it's easy to check your voter registration. The Ohio Secretary of State's website has a very simple form that you search to ensure that you are still registered. When you get your result, it will also provide you with your polling location (where you go to vote in person). There is also a link that will give you directions to the polling location. If you aren't registered OR you need to change your address, follow the steps above.

Not in Ohio? Check your voter registration at the Vote411 page

Can I vote from my school address?

Can I vote from my school address?

In Ohio, it depends.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State, "a college student may vote using his or her Ohio school residence address if the student does not intend to return to a different permanent address. When a college student registers to vote from his or her school address, the school residence is considered to be the place to which the student's habitation is fixed and to which, whenever the student is absent, the student intends to return, and is considered by the student to be his or her permanent residence at the time of voting. Any other previous residence for voting purposes is no longer valid. It is illegal for a person to register and vote from two different addresses."

If your school address is not the one you want to consider your permanent residence, then you should request an absentee ballot as soon as possible from the Board of Elections in the county where you permanently reside. 

For more information, please visit the College Voters page on the Ohio Secretary of State website. 

What do I bring with me to vote (ID)?

What do I bring with me to vote?

Every state has their own ID requirements for voting in person and by mail. Ohio has strict voter ID laws. If you are voting in person in Ohio, you will need to make sure you have a valid, unexpired photo ID. You must show that to the poll worker. 

In Ohio, there are a few acceptable photo IDs. Remember that they must be unexpired.

  • Ohio driver's license
  • Ohio state ID card (OH state ID cards are free for anyone 17+ without a driver's license)
  • US passport or passport card
  • Military ID issued by Ohio National Guard OR US government
  • US Veterans Affairs ID card
  • Interim identification form issued by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

These are NO LONGER acceptable in Ohio: utility bills, bank statements, concealed carry permit, paystubs, government documents without photos. 

Plan ahead! If you do not have a valid, unexpired, acceptable form of photo ID, you must get one BEFORE you vote. If you need help, please ask at the library or visit the Vote Riders webpage

If you are voting by mail in Ohio, you will need to provide the number from your unexpired Ohio driver's license or state ID card, the last four digits of your social security number, or a copy of one of the other acceptable forms of photo ID listed above. 

 

Not in Ohio? Visit Vote Riders to see the acceptable IDs for your state. 

Other things to bring? It's very helpful to bring in a copy of a sample ballot that you completed before you arrived. 

How do I request an absentee (mail in) ballot?

How do I request an absentee (mail in) ballot?

In Ohio, you need to fill out an application and return it to the Board of Elections (BOE) in the county where you are registered.

There are a few ways you can find the application.

  • You can fill the form out on the Ohio Secretary of State's website. You will need to print it out.
  • You can call the BOE in the county where you are registered and ask them to send you one. 
  • You can come to the library and we will give you a copy of the form.

Once you fill it out the form, you need to mail it back to the proper location. The library will help you find the address of your local BOE. If you are returning your absentee ballot application, the library will provide you with an envelope and stamp, if needed. Just stop by!

Not voting in Ohio? Try contacting the Board of Elections in your home county to see if ballot tracking is available or check the state by state guide at Campus Vote Project's website

How do I track my absentee ballot in Ohio?

How do I track my absentee ballot in Ohio?

In Ohio, you can track your ballot after your mail it in. You can either go directly to your county's Board of Elections, or use this page at the Secretary of State website

Not voting in Ohio? Try contacting the Board of Elections in your home county to see if ballot tracking is available or check the state by state guide at Campus Vote Project's website

Can I vote if I have been charged with a crime?

Can I vote if I have been charged with a crime?

In Ohio, a person in the following situations may vote

  • A person with a misdemeanor conviction
  • A person with a felony conviction who is on probation, parole, or after completing their jail or prison sentence (after re-registering)
  • A person awaiting trial in jail for a misdemeanor or felony (if they are registered, they can vote absentee)
  • A person imprisoned for a misdemeanor (if they are registered, they can vote absentee)

In Ohio a person who is currently incarcerated on a felony conviction's voter registration is canceled. They must re-register when eligible to do so. If your conviction(s) were violations of Ohio's election laws, you may not be able to vote. 

For more information, visit the Ohio Secretary of State's Restore Your Right page. 

 

Outside of Ohio, please visit 866 Our Vote's state by state guide.

Can I safely vote if I participate in Ohio's Safe at Home program?

Can I safely vote if I participate in Ohio's Safe at Home program?

If you are a participant in Ohio's Safe at Home program, you can still safely vote using your substitute address and a confidential voter registration record that will not be accessible to the public. 

For more information, please visit the Ohio Secretary of State's Safe at Home page. 

Please make sure you are using a safe computer that can't be accessed by a person you fear. The Safe at Home page includes information about how to delete your browsing history. 

How do I know who to vote for?

How do I know who to vote for? 

  1. First, you should spend some time considering your own values and beliefs. You want to ensure that you are voting for a candidate or issue that aligns with your own values and beliefs. 
  2. Second, you will need to research candidates and issues to make sure that they align with your values and beliefs. 

There are are lots of ways to research candidates. Here are some tips for researching candidates:

  • Visit the candidate's website and social media
  • Watch debates, speeches, and news coverage
  • Visit nonpartisan sites that provide unbiased information on candidates and issues. Some of our favorites are linked below. 

Ballotpedia is a nonpartisan encyclopedia of American politics. It provides unbiased information on elections, politics and policy.

FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. They monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.

Guides.Vote produces nonpartisan voters guides, produced by veteran journalists, that show where candidates stand. The guides provide links to credible sources and are available online and in printable versions

Judge 4 Yourself is a nonpartisan site that ends the guessing game for judicial elections in Cuyahoga County. They partner with six bar associations and strive to ensure that the candidates will be competent, fair, and trustworthy judges.

PolitiFact prides itself on its nonpartisan political fact-checking with journalistic principles and standards. Their core principles are independence, transparency, fairness, thorough reporting and clear writing.

Vote 411 is a “one-stop-shop” for election-related information. You can check your registration, find your polling place, and learn more about the candidates and issues you’ll vote on. The League does not support or oppose any candidates or parties.

How do I vote if I am disabled?

How do I vote if I am disabled?

Everyone has the right to vote. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended) requires state and local governments to make sure people with disabilities have access to all government programs, services, and activities. Therefore, they are required to make voting places and equipment accessible to people with disabilities. 

Disability Rights Ohio has an excellent page providing an overview of your rights, as well as the various kinds of assistance available to voters with disabilities, including what to do if you believe your rights have been violated. 

How do I address an envelope?

How do I address an envelope?

You might need to mail in a form to the Board of Elections in the county where you live. If you need an envelope and a stamp for voting related business, the library can help you. Here is how you properly address an envelope so that your mail gets to where it needs to go. 

envelope

  1. Add your return address on the top, left corner of the envelope. Print clearly and make sure that all of your information is accurate.
  2. Add the address of the recipient in the lower, middle of your envelope. Again, make sure that you print clearly and that all of the information is accurate.
  3. Add a stamp! The library is providing stamps for voting related mail until November 5, 2024. Stop by and ask us for help. 

Voting Rights

Voting Rights

Voters have rights! Voters should be able to vote without interference, pressure, discrimination, or intimidation. 

Voting should be easy, but when it's not there are places to contact to protect your rights. 

Ohio Voter Rights Coalition page

ACLU Know Your Rights Voter Intimidation handout

U. S. Department of Justice Voting Rights page

Under federal law, if you have limited English proficiency, you may obtain assistance in voting by a person of your choice, as long as this person is not your employer or an agent of your employer or your union. 

Election How To Videos

Election How To Videos

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has a variety of videos that you may want to watch on their site. You can watch their videos by visiting their Election How To Videos page.

Topics include

  • The Proper Way to Cast Your Ballot
  • How to Use the "Track Your Vote By Mail Ballot" Tool
  • How to Find Your Polling Location
  • A Guide on Applying for a Vote By Mail Ballot
  • How to Complete Your Voter Registration Form
  • Changes to Ohio Voting Laws in 2023
  • How to Use "Find Voting Information by Address"

2023 Ohio voting law changes

2023 Ohio Voting Law Changes

On January 6, 2023, the Governor signed Ohio House Bill 458 that made several changes to election laws. 

Here is a summary of some of the changes

For all of the changes and other important information, please visit the Ohio Voting Law Changes page on the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website

Identification for voting on election day in person

The following are acceptable forms of identification (ID) for voting a regular ballot at the polls on Election Day:

  • An unexpired Ohio driver license
  • An Ohio state ID card (these cards are now free to obtain)
  • An interim identification form issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles
  • A U.S. passport or passport card
  • A U.S. military ID card, Ohio National Guard ID card, or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card (that includes the voter’s name and photograph)

Notes:

  • A suspended driver license that is not expired may still be used as ID for voting.
  • An Ohio driver license or state ID card with a voter’s previous address is acceptable.
  • Digital (or copy) versions of ID are not acceptable, except for the Veteran ID Card (VIC) issued by the Department of Veteran Affairs, as the VIC is now only issued digitally.

Key Changes:

  • A U.S. passport or passport card, which was previously not a valid form of ID, is now acceptable.
  • The bill eliminates the option to provide the following as a valid form of ID:
    • Current utility bill, bank statement, government check; paycheck, other government document, and concealed carry permit

Voting by mail

The following are acceptable forms of (ID) to apply for and return an absentee ballot by mail (VBM):

  • An Ohio driver license number
  • An Ohio state ID card number
  • The last four digits of the elector’s social security number (SSN)
  • copy of a photo ID. For a driver license and state ID, this means a copy of both the front and back. For a U.S. passport, a copy means a copy of the ID page of the passport that includes the elector’s name, photo, and other identifying information, including the expiration date.

Notes:

  • For voters who have used a driver license/state ID number, or the last four digits of their SSN, to apply for and return a Vote-by-Mail ballot, nothing has changed.
  • Confined or disabled (e.g., nursing home voters) may follow the same ID requirements as a VBM voter.

Still have questions?

Still have questions?

Please ask us! The library staff is here to help you. You can stop by, call us, start a chat, email or text us! We want to make sure that your voice is heard. 

The Elections FAQ page on the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition website has some great information as well. 

Contact the CIA Library

Ask a Question          Email Us          Call us: (216) 421-7440          Text us: (216) 208-4157