UPDATE: The deadline to request ballots by mail has passed. Be sure to send you mail-in votes by October 20.
Ohio voters need to know that recent postal personnel cuts and slowdowns have resulted in the de facto September 20 deadline to request ballots and registration by mail, and October 20 to send mail-in votes.
Will you rise to this moment to make sure all our votes count? Here’s what you need to know:
Register:
Step one: make sure you and everyone you know has up to date voter registration information. The deadline for in-person registration, digital registration, or mail-in registration is October 5th.
Make sure you’re calling, texting, and nagging every friend and family member to meet this deadline.
Online Voter Registration
Voter Registration to Print and Mail
County Board of Registration
MAIL-IN OR ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST/ SUBMISSION:
Request for a ballot by October 4th.
If you or your family cannot send or do not receive your ballot request by October 19th (please), be sure to visit your county election board to drop it off.
Make sure you are helping your family meet these deadlines. Print docs for them, mail them and deliver them for them.
DEADLINES:
Voter Registration: – October 5th, by mail, online, or in person.
BUT due to delays consider the deadline September 20th
WARNING: If you submit your registration by mail on the 5th, it may not arrive at the Ohio Secretary of State’s office until October 20th. That is too late to request a mail-in ballot and expect it to be delivered ahead of the deadline because of the US Post Master General’s recent warning on mail times. Do not assume accounting for any registration request sent after October 19th. In this case, you must deliver the registration in person to the local county board of elections.
Mail-in/ Absentee Ballot Request: October 31st by mail, online or in-person. REAL DATE: October 16th
WARNING: The Post Master General had indicated that requests for a ballot might take 15 days to reach the Secretary of State. Then requested ballots could take an additional 15 days to reach you. If you fall outside this window, please visit your county election office to receive or drop off your ballot.
Ballot Submission: November 3rd by mail MAIL-IN REAL DATE: October 19th. DO NOT expect your ballot to get counted in time after this date unless you hand-deliver it to your county board of elections.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?
Print out voter registration forms and absentee ballot requests. Clip them to a piece of cardboard like the below.
It doesn’t need to be partisan or political – it’s just about making sure folks have the resources available for them to be counted.