Ohio Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-in Deadlines

General Election: November 4, 2008

Voter Registration

To register to vote in the state of Ohio you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you wish to vote.
• Be 18 years old on or before election day. If you will be 18 on or before the day of the general election, you may vote in the primary election for candidates only.
• Not be currently incarcerated and convicted of a felony
• Not be found incompetent by a court for purposes of voting
• Have not been permanently disenfranchised for violations of the election laws

How to register to vote:

Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form. 

You can also use the Ohio Voter Registration Form.  Mail your completed form to County Board of Elections. 

ID requirements for first-time voters:

If you are a first-time voter and you register to vote by mail, then you must include your Ohio driver's license number on the form, or the last four digits of your social security number.  If you can't supply either one of these numbers, then you must include a copy of your ID with your voter registration form.  If you forget, you'll have to provide ID the first time you vote in person or by absentee ballot.  Acceptable forms of ID include: a copy of a current and valid photo ID that shows your name or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document (except board of elections notifications) that shows your name and current Ohio address.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're registered to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Voting by Absentee Ballot

Absentee ballot rules:

Good news! Any registered Ohio voter can vote by absentee ballot.   

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

Download and complete the Ohio Absentee Ballot Application.  Mail or hand-deliver your completed absentee ballot application to your County Board of Elections.

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You need to include your Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number on your absentee ballot application.  If you don't have one of these numbers, then you must a copy of your identification.  Acceptable ID includes: a current and valid photo ID that shows your name; a military identification that shows your name; or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document (other than a voter registration notification mailed by a board of elections) that shows your name and address.

Absentee ballot instructions:

The absentee ballot itself is pretty straightforward.  Fill it out, sign where indicated, and mail or hand-deliver your voted ballot to your County Board of Elections.  Your voted ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day.  If you can't return your ballot yourself, and immediate family member can bring deliver it for you to your County Board of Elections. 

NOTE: If you are outside the United States on election day, your absentee ballot envelope must be signed or postmarked prior to the close of polls, and received by the Board of Elections no later than 10 days after the election or 20 days after the presidential primary election

State Contact Information