“We’re trying to make it more efficient here in the office, and easier for the voter,” Baker said.
More changes to the in-person early voting process in Clark County will come after the March 19 primary, Baker said. When early voting begins for the November general election in October, voters will check in, go to a separate room to cast their ballots, then leave through a door in that same room rather than going back out through the lobby.
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Baker said in 2020, more than 20,000 people voted early in person, which made the board realize it needed a “better traffic pattern” in its office at Springview Government Center. He said when the office was downtown, they had eight check-in stations, which lowered the wait time with a high volume of voters.
The election includes local tax issues and contested primaries for Clark County commission and sheriff, plus Statehouse races and the presidential and U.S. Senate primaries.
Voters wanting to cast a ballot in-person should make sure they bring a valid photo ID to the polls to comply with voter ID laws that went into effect last year.
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Valid forms of identification include a non-expired Ohio driver license or a U.S. passport; invalid forms of identification include out-of-state driver licenses and Social Security cards. The complete list can be found at the Secretary of State website.
Ohio last year began issuing free state ID cards to people 17 and older. In order to obtain a state ID card, applicants must provide proof of their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, citizenship and Ohio street address.
Ohioans can still cast a ballot without a photo ID — they just have to vote absentee. People can both register to vote and vote by mail using only the last four digits of their Social Security number.
The board of elections will be open for early in-person voting as follows:
Feb. 21-23: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Feb. 26 to March 1: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
March 4-8: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
March 9: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March 11: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March 12: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
March 13-15: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March 16: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March 17: 1-5 p.m.
Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked no later than March 18 and received by the board of elections no later than March 23.
Traditional in-person voting on Election Day will be from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19.
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