Voting Early in Ohio

October 31, 2012 / voting

Early voting is encouraged for many individuals to ensure that you have the time and support needed to get your vote cast.

Early voting is the same as Absentee Voting, except that you do it in person rather than by mail. You can go in person to vote early in Ohio, (which is officially called "Absentee Voting in Person" by the Ohio Board of Elections.)

Early voting locations may be found by clicking on this LINK for the Ohio Board of Elections In Person Absentee Voting Locations 2012 (PDF).

Here are the dates and hours for early voting:

• Monday, October 29 – Thurs., November 1: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Friday, November 2: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Saturday, November 3: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Sunday, November 4: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Monday, November 5: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Remember, You have the right to vote!

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE a regular paper ballot if your county used touch screen voting machines and you would prefer a paper ballot.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE a provisional ballot if your name does not appear on the poll list of if you don’t have identification.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to be told by the poll worker if you are in the correct precinct line and polling location, and if you are not, the poll worker must tell you the correct location to vote.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE ANOTHER BALLOT from election officials if you make a mistake. You may receive up to 3 ballots in total.

For those with a Disability:

A person who wishes to vote in person on Election Day but is unable to transport him or herself may ask a friend or family member or other person for help. If institutionalized, one should ask for assistance in arranging transportation from a social worker, client rights advocate, case manager, etc. One may also contact the local or county campaign headquarters of a political party. Finally, the local paratransit service may be a resource for transportation.

Assistance in completing his or her ballot for a person with a disability:

Any voter who declares that he or she is unable to mark his or her ballot because of his or her blindness, disability, or illiteracy (which may be required to be given under oath) may be accompanied in the voting booth and aided by any person of the voter’s choice (except the voter’s employer or an agent of the voter’s employer, an officer or agency of the voter’s union, or a candidate whose name appears on the ballot).

The voter may also request and receive assistance in marking his or her ballot from two election officials of different political parties. A voter with a disability is not required to accept any assistance, however.

Also, no one assisting the person with a disability can tell him or her how to vote.

Reasonable accommodations (for example, the use of any available assistive technology or device) must be provided to a person with a disability when casting his or her ballot.

Any voter may bring a sample ballot into the voting booth with him or her.

At the polling place, if the voter is unable to write his or her name and current address in the poll list or signature pollbook, then a precinct election official must write his or her name for her. Poll workers must make every effort to assist a voter with a disability in identifying him or herself and in all other matters at the polling place.

Anyone who is a registered elector has the right to vote.

If there are questions about your eligibility, you have the right to a Provisional Ballot. A provisional ballot is used to record a vote when there is some question in regards to a given voter's eligibility, such as when a voter’s name does not appear in the poll book, or does not have required identification. Be certain to fill out the form completely by printing your name, providing the last four digits of your social security number, and signing the affidavit. If you need to update your address, be sure to fill out the back of the form entitled “Notification of Change of Address.”