The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on East 30th and Euclid Avenue serves as the county's early voting site.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on East 30th and Euclid Avenue serves as the county's early voting site. Credit: Nick Castele / Signal Cleveland

When does Ohio vote?

Early voting is underway for the Ohio primary on March 19. There are opportunities to vote in-person and by mail, but people requesting vote-by-mail ballots need to pay particular attention to filling in all the information requested.

What we are voting for?

In addition to voting for presidential candidates, Clevelanders will help pick a county prosecutor. Two Democrats face off in the primary — visiting Cleveland State professor Mattew Ahn and incumbent Mike O’Malley. 

People also can vote in primary races for county judges who hear felony and juvenile cases, as well as appeals.

They will also vote on a renewal of a county tax for health and human services. The levy is for eight years and will not increase taxes.

Application issues

More than 32,000 Cuyahoga County electors had requested vote-by-mail/absentee ballots by Feb. 23. According to the Board of Elections website, more than 2,000 of those requests are invalid. And 1,988 of those were kicked back because no party was selected on the request.

Ohio primaries are partisan — meaning voters need to pick a party and vote for candidates they prefer to go on to the general election.

Other reasons ballot requests have been rejected include not being registered at the address on file; not providing a date of birth; and voters filling in the day’s date instead of their birth date. This is one of the reasons applicants are asked to include their email and phone number, so the board can try to make corrections. Most information can be updated by phone or email with the exception of an incorrect or missing signature, according to the board. 

To help Clevelanders get ready to exercise their civic rights, Signal Cleveland got answers to common questions about casting your vote.

Can I vote in-person before Election Day?

Yes, you can vote in-person at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, 2925 Euclid Ave., Cleveland (Google Maps directions). The board is open on weekdays and on Saturday, March 9, Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17. Click here to find the hours. 

Does early voting include vote-by-mail?

Yes, just follow the instructions on this page. Vote-by-mail/absentee ballot applications must be received by the Board of Elections by 8:30 p.m. on March 12.

Will I need a photo ID to vote in person?

Yes. These are the options:

• Ohio driver’s license

• State of Ohio ID card

• Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV

• U.S. passport

• U.S. passport card

• U.S. military ID card

• Ohio National Guard ID card

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

How do I find my election day polling location?

Enter your last name and date of birth here.

Can I look at a sample ballot before I go to vote?

Yes, click here to see a sample ballot for your city.

Where can I get more information?

If you have a question that is not addressed here, call the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections at 216-443-8683 (VOTE) or visit the web site.

Community Journalism Director (she/her)
I look for innovative ways to center news on community interests so more Clevelanders can have positive, direct interactions with journalists. I seek out different opinions, support emerging journalists, and teach community writing and story development so people can tell their own stories, build their own power and make the change they want to see.