Voter Alert: Voting under guardianship and getting help in the voting booth

October 21, 2016

Election Day is November 8 - Our hotline will be open

Election Day in Ohio is Tuesday, November 8, and the polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. DRO's Voter Hotline will be open the same hours, with lawyers available to answer your questions and provide assistance if your voting rights are being violated.

The hotline number is 614-466-7264 or toll free 800-282-9181; (TTY) 614-728-2553 or toll free 800-858-3542.You can also call these numbers anytime with questions or concerns about voting.

Am I allowed to vote if I have a guardian?

Yes. Having a guardian does not mean a person cannot vote. A probate court must declare a person incompetent for voting purposes before his or her right to vote can be taken away.

Can I get help with my ballot in the voting booth?

Yes. If a voter needs assistance because of his or her disability (for example, the voter is unable to physically mark his or her ballot, or the voter has a mental disability and needs someone to explain the ballot), the voter may bring someone with them to help them vote. The voter may ask anyone to help them vote except their employer, an agent of their employer, an agent of their union, or a political candidate on the ballot.

A voter also may ask for assistance from two precinct election officials, one Democrat and one Republican. No one who helps them vote can tell them how they must vote or provide information to others about how they voted.

At one time, Ohio asked people with disabilities who received help with voting to sign a form, promising that they were not committing voter fraud. The state no longer requires this form. If someone asks a voter to sign such a form, call Disability Rights Ohio immediately at 614-466-7264 or 1-800-282-9181; (TTY) 614-728-2553 or 1-800-858-3542.