Voter Guide

NEXT ELECTION: PRIMARY ELECTION

TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025

Are you registered to vote?
Voter registration deadline for this upcoming Primary Election

MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2025

Voting in this Election

WAYS TO VOTE

IN-PERSON ON ELECTION DAY

May 6, 2025 | 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM

IN-PERSON DURING EARLY VOTING

April 8, 2025 - May 4, 2025

See voting schedule for specific times.

BY MAIL (ABSENTEE VOTING)

HOW TO VOTE BY MAIL:

  1. Complete an absentee ballot registration form (print and complete the form, complete the form in person at your County Board of Elections, or call your County Board of Elections and ask the form be mailed to you).

  2. You will then receive an absentee ballot in the mail. Fill out the ballot and double check all necessary information is included. Deadline to request an absentee ballot is 8:30 PM on April 29.

THINGS TO NOTE:

To cast your absentee ballot, you must mail it back to your Board of Elections or drop it off in-person to your County Board of Elections ballot drop box.

  • Mail must be postmarked by May 5 and received by your County Board of Elections no later than 4 days after the election.

  • If dropping off an absentee ballot in person at the County Board of Elections, must be received before 7:30 PM on May 6.

VOTING FAQ

Enter your address to see what's on your ballot and other personalized voting information.

WHAT IS ON MY BALLOT?

HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM REGISTERED TO VOTE?

I MOVED BUT DID NOT UPDATE MY REGISTRATION, AM I STILL ABLE TO VOTE?

If you moved from one Ohio precinct to another but did not update your voter registration by April 7, you may cast a provisional ballot in person at your County Board of Elections.

WHAT IS A PRIMARY ELECTION?

A Primary Election selects party nominees for the General Election. Voters choose candidates within a political party.

WHAT IS AN OPEN PRIMARY?

Ohio has open primaries, which means there is no need to be a registered party member. You declare party affiliation by selecting a party’s ballot when voting.

WHAT IS A GENERAL ELECTION?

The General Election ultimately decides who will hold office, based on the party nominees selected in the Primary Election. This year it will be on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

MORE FAQs & VOTING RESOURCES

  • There are several types of valid photo identification:

    • 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; or

    • US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

    All photo IDs must have the following:

    • An expiration date that has not passed;

    • A photograph of the voter;

    • The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book

    NOTICE: An unexpired Ohio Driver License, State ID Card, or Interim Documentation with your former address IS an ACCEPTABLE form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook.

    Find more information about voter ID requirements here.

    Ohio law prohibits acceptance of the following forms of ID:

    • Driver’s license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio;

    • Social Security card;

    • Birth certificate;

    • Insurance card;

    • Utility bill;

    • Bank statement;

    • Government check;

    • Paycheck;

    • Other government document; or

    • Any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections.

    If you do not have above valid forms of ID on Election Day, you can request a provisional ballot but you must return to the board of elections no later than four days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification. 

  • On Election Day

    • If polls close while you are in line, STAY IN LINE – you have the right to vote.

    • If the machines are down, ask for a paper ballot.

    • If a poll worker says you are not on the list, spell out your name. Ask if there is a supplementary list. Check your polling location. If they still cannot find you, REQUEST A PROVISIONAL BALLOT.

    If you are having difficulty voting or have an issue at the polls you can contact the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition.

    https://www.ohiovoterrights.org/

  • You can bring any person of your choosing to assist you at the polls, so long as they are not your boss or an agent of your employer or union.  

    In addition to the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, Election Protection also has three language hotlines:

  • Assuming you are registered to vote in Ohio, you can vote by mail with the last four digits of their Social Security Number or in person with a US passport or military ID.

  • If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor, you have the right to vote, even if you are incarcerated.

    If you have been arrested for a felony but have not been convicted, you still have the right to vote.

    If you are on parole or probation, live in a halfway house, or are on house arrest, you have the right to vote.

    Once you are out of jail or prison for a felony conviction, you must re-register to vote, even if you were previously registered.

    The only time you may not vote is if you are currently incarcerated on a felony conviction. But, you re-gain the right to vote once you are released. Just re-register at voteohio.gov.

  • Voters with a disability who are physically unable to enter a
    polling place must be permitted to vote. Election officials
    cannot challenge the voters on their condition. Voters get to vote in their car or at the door of the polling place with the assistance of a bipartisan team of election
    officials.

  • There are various available resources for you to get a free ride to the polls, including RideShare2Vote and other city-specific resources.