We’re headed into the last week of early voting before the Nov. 4 general election. Registered Cuyahoga County voters are choosing their local elected officials and municipal court judges.
Unlike the primary, registered voters in all Cleveland wards can vote to choose their representatives to city council and the next mayor, as well as municipal court and housing court judges.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has sample ballots for all cities on its web site.
There is only one place to vote in person before election day, at the Board of Elections’ new location, 1803 Superior Ave., Cleveland. The early voting dates and hours are:
Monday, Oct. 27: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 28: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 29 through Friday, Oct. 31: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 1: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 2: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
You’ll need a photo ID to vote
You will need to bring one of the following forms of identification:
• Ohio driver’s license
• State of Ohio ID card
• Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
• U.S. passport or passport card
• U.S. military ID card
• Ohio National Guard ID card
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
If you’re voting by mail, here’s what you need to know
To vote by mail, follow these instructions. It’s a two-step process, and if you haven’t already submitted an application for a mail ballot, you may want to vote in person and avoid missing the deadline. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4.
If you already received a mail-in ballot, you can still mail it in or drop it off at the Board of Elections’ new location, 1803 Superior Avenue, Cleveland. If you’re dropping off your own ballot, you can use the drop box in the parking lot.
Anyone can drop off a completed ballot for the following family members: spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, son, daughter, adopted parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece;
If you are dropping off someone else’s ballot, you’re supposed to take the ballot inside and complete a form called a 12-P Family Member Absentee Ballot Delivery Attestation.
Voters with disabilities can have anyone (except their employer or an officer in their union) deliver their completed ballots on their behalf. But that person also has to fill out a form like a family member would.
If you already mailed in a ballot, you can check here to see if it’s been received.
Voting on election day, Nov. 4
If you’re planning to vote in person on election day, you can use your address to check your polling place on this page. This is especially important in Cleveland, where the ward boundaries have changed. You’ll also need one of the forms of ID listed above.
If there is some question about your eligibility or whether you’re at the right polling place, you can ask to vote by provisional ballot. That means it will get a second look by BOE staff.
If you have any other questions, the BOE offers several videos explaining different parts of the voting process. You can also call the BOE at 216-443-8683 (VOTE).
