Polling locations will open across the state at 6:30 a.m. on Election Day and stay open until 7:30 p.m.. Early voting ended on Sunday.
Here’s everything voters need to know ahead of casting a ballot:
How to vote
Early in-person voting: This ended Sunday. County election boards do not offer early, in-person voting hours the Monday before Election Day.
Absentee ballots: Voters can return their completed absentee ballot by mail, but it would need a Monday, Nov. 4 postmark. Voters can also return their absentee ballots to their election board in person. The board of elections must receive the ballot no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots must be received by the local county board of elections office no later than four days after the election.
Election Day: Voters can confirm their polling locations at VoterLookup.OhioSoS.gov.
Robust early voting season
More than 42,000 people cast early ballots in Montgomery County as of Monday afternoon, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s statewide early voting dashboard. Another 58,802 people cast a ballot in person at the Montgomery County Board of Elections office.
Early voters both in-person and by mail totaled 83,525 in Butler County; 75,062 in Warren County; 48,739 in Greene County; 30,732 in Miami County; and 29,356 in Clark County.
Montgomery County Board of Elections director Jeff Rezabek said his staff is expecting between 150,000 to 160,000 Election Day voters. He projected a voter turnout of 70-72% but challenged Montgomery County voters to exceed 80%.
“We are doing extremely well. Our staff is ready for it. Our facilities are ready for it. Let’s make Montgomery County proud of that,” said Rezabek.
Photo ID rules
Voters wanting to cast a ballot in-person on Election Day should make sure they bring a valid photo ID.
Valid forms of identification include an Ohio driver’s license, a U.S. passport or passport card, a state of Ohio ID card, an interim ID form issued by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a U.S. military ID card, an Ohio National Guard ID card, or a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card.
All ID cards must be unexpired, have a photograph of the voter and include the voter’s name as it appears on the poll list. An unexpired ID with a voter’s former address is an acceptable form of ID when the person’s current address is in the poll book, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
Invalid forms of identification include out-of-state driver licenses and Social Security cards, as well as bank statements, government checks, paychecks, utility bills and more. Ohio’s new mobile ID will also not be accepted at voting locations.
Ohioans who do not come to their polling location on Election Day with a valid ID can still vote provisionally. This process requires provisional voters to come to their local election board office with a valid ID in hand within four days after Election Day.
Ballot drop boxes
The Ohio Secretary of State’s Office issued a new directive this summer that required election officials to collect ballots and other required forms in person from someone dropping off a ballot for another person. The Ohio Supreme Court upheld this directive in a recent decision.
Unmanned drop boxes can only be used by voters to drop off their own ballot. Voters looking to turn in their absentee ballot on Election Day can drop it off in the drop box before 7:30 p.m.
Finding your polling location, district
Voters who cast a ballot early could vote at their local board of elections office, but Election Day voters must go to a polling location assigned to them. Voters can check their polling location on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.
Several state races for the Ohio House and Ohio Senate will be featured on the ballot using new district boundaries. Voters can also check what district they live in on the Ohio Secretary of State’s “Find My District” tool.
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