Reminder, there is a little less than a week to register to vote in Ohio’s primary election.
The deadline to register is Tuesday, Feb. 20. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections will keep its offices open until 9 p.m. for last-minute voter registration. You can also register to vote online at the Secretary of State’s website. Ohio’s primary is scheduled for March 19.
If you are not sure of your registration status you can check here.
Voter identification requirements changed in 2023. Ohio requires photo ID to vote in-person, and there are updates to the vote-by-mail procedures.
Anyone who needs a state ID can get one for free at their local BMV office.
Early voting starts Feb 21. Ohio law allows county boards of elections to start sending out vote-by-mail ballots on that day.
In the primary, voters declare a party at the polling place and receive that party’s ballot along with any issues up for a vote. You do not have to declare a party when you register.
We’ve been talking a lot about voting lately
Ohio held a special election in August, followed by the regularly scheduled November voting. With Ohio’s primary in March, voters will be taking part in three elections in just over six months. The good news — if you successfully voted in August and/or November, you are already registered for the March primary.
This is an important year to exercise your right to vote:
- Ohioans will help select the next president of the United States.
- Our pick for the U.S. Senate may change the party balance in the upper house.
- Closer to home, voters will determine who will represent them at the Statehouse.
- Clevelanders will weigh-in on the race for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor and vote in for judges on the state and county level.
And there will be issues on the ballot, including a request for renewal of the Cuyahoga county health and human services tax.
The general election will take place Nov. 5.