With no statewide races or issues on the ballot, local is the name of the game in November's general election.
Northeast Ohio voters will face a variety of local council races, education levies and ballot issues that affect the communities where they live.
Cleveland residents will be making their choices for mayor and for city council in newly redrawn ward districts.
In Summit County, voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a charter amendment on capping property taxes.
This voter guide for the Nov. 4 general election provides information on where and when to vote, what’s on the ballot and how to prepare for the election.
Are you registered to vote?
The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 4 general election is Oct. 6. Check here to see if you are registered. If you register or update your information after the deadline, the change will apply for the next election.
What's on your ballot?
To see what's on your ballot, follow this link to the Ohio Secretary of State website and select your county.
Early in-person voting
Early in-person voting begins Oct. 7 and includes the Saturday and the Sunday before Election Day. Early voting hours vary, depending on the date you plan to cast your vote:
- Oct. 7-10: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Oct. 14-17: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Oct. 20-24: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Oct. 27: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 28: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
- Oct. 29-31: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Nov. 1: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Nov. 2: 1-5 p.m.
You can find your early voting polling location by clicking on your county on this map. They will be found at your county's board of elections office.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections recently moved to a new space at 1803 Superior Ave. in Cleveland, about one mile west of its previous location.
The Summit County Board of Elections has also moved to a new location at 1050 E. Tallmadge Ave. in Akron.
Vote by mail
To vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot, or you may complete the application mailed to voters by the Ohio Secretary of State's office.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is seven days before the election, but election officials recommend applying for one well ahead of the deadline, due to the time it takes to deliver and process an application and to send the ballot.
Absentee ballots are sent starting the first day of early voting on Oct. 7. Click here to see a sample of your ballot.
Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
Each county has one ballot drop box located at the county board of elections office where ballots can be returned in person up until polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Voters must return their absentee ballots to the board of elections in the county in which they are registered.
You can track the status of your absentee ballot. If you believe your ballot may have been lost in the mail, contact your county board of elections. The board can mark an already mailed absentee ballot as void and send a new one.
Military and overseas absentee voting began Sept. 19.
In-person voting
Polls open in Ohio at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 4.
You can prepare by viewing a sample of your ballot.
Your polling location varies depending on where you live, and it might not be the closest polling location to you. Find your official polling location on the Ohio Secretary of State website.
Do I need an ID?
Yes. The State of Ohio requires voters to bring an acceptable form of identification to the polls to vote. Acceptable forms of ID must include an expiration date that has not passed, a photo of the voter and 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.
Several types of acceptable ID include:
- Ohio driver's license;
- State of Ohio ID card;
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV;
- A U.S. passport;
- A U.S. passport card;
- U.S. military ID card;
- Ohio National Guard ID card; or
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
Ohioans who are 17 years and older who do not have a valid driver's license can receive a state ID card at no cost from the BMV.
If you do not bring an acceptable form of ID or if your eligibility is in question, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
Voting provisionally means election officials need to double-check your eligibility. To do so, you must visit your county's board of elections within four days after Election Day to provide identification so your vote can be counted in the final election totals.
Election officials are also required to attempt to contact voters by mail, phone or email to resolve any issues with their ballots.
Voters with disabilities
Any Ohio voter with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act can request an absentee ballot to complete through the accessible absentee voting system.
For in-person voting, all polling places must have at least one accessible voting machine available for people with disabilities, such as visually impaired voters, according to federal law.
What if I'm in the hospital?
If you or your minor child are in the hospital on Election Day, you must submit a properly completed and signed request to the board of elections of the county of your voting residence by 3 p.m. on Election Day.
To be eligible under this provision, you or your minor child must be confined in a hospital because of an accident or unforeseen medical emergency.
If you or your minor child are hospitalized in the same county where you are registered to vote, two representatives of the board of elections can deliver the ballot to you, wait while you mark the ballot and return your voted ballot to the board office.
Additionally, you may include in your absentee ballot application a request that your county board of elections give your unmarked ballot to a designated relative who shall deliver the ballot to you in the hospital and return your voted ballot to the board office.
Visit the Secretary of State's website to complete a Hospitalized Absentee Ballot Request Form.
