Ohio Primary Election 2021: voter information, deadlines, voting by mail

Voting/elections
The 2021 Ohio Primary Election is Tuesday, May 4. You may cast your ballot in your precinct at your designated polling place between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. If you don’t know the location of your precinct polling place, contact the board of elections in your county. Click here to find your precinct polling place in Mahoning County. Click here to find your precinct polling place in Trumbull County.

Voter information
Ohio Secretary of State. Voters can check their polling place and precinct and get other important voting information by visiting VoteOhio.gov…. This online resource is a one-stop location for all necessary voting information. Ohio voters can check their voter-registration status, find their polling location, view a sample ballot and track their absentee ballot.

Mahoning County Board of Elections, 345 Oak Hill Ave., Entrance A, Youngstown, Ohio 44502; 330-783-2474. Fax: 330-783-2801. Website: vote.mahoningcountyoh.gov…: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. You can register to vote at the Mahoning County Board of Elections during business hours. The deadline to register to vote in the 2021 Ohio Primary Election is Monday, April 5. Military and overseas absentee voting: March 19-May 3 (46 days before Election Day). Voter registration deadline: Monday, April 5 (The Board of Elections will be open until 9 p.m. on Monday, April 5.). Early in-person voting: begins Tuesday, April 6 and includes the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Election Day. Early in-person voting dates/times: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., April 6-9; 8 a.m.-5 p.m., April 12-16; 8 a.m.-6 p.m., April 19-23; 8 a.m.-7 p.m., April 26-30; 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 1; 1-5 p.m., Sunday, May 2; 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday, May 3. In Mahoning County, early in-person voting takes place at the Mahoning County Board of Elections. Absentee voting by mail: Tuesday, April 6-Monday, May 3 (begins 28 days before Election Day). Absentee ballots may be returned by mail or personally delivered to the Board of Elections. Absentee ballot application deadline: absentee-ballot applications must be received by the Board of Elections by noon, Saturday, May 1. Absentee ballot postmark deadline: Monday, May 3. Voters can drop off absentee ballots at the Board of Elections until 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 4. Primary Election Day: Tuesday, May 4. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

• Register to vote.
• Lookup if you’re on the voting rolls.
• Find your polling location in Youngstown and Mahoning County.

Trumbull County Board of Elections. 2947 Youngstown Road, S.E., Warren, Ohio 44484; 330-369-4050. Fax: 330-369-4160. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Website: boe.co.trumbull.oh.gov…. You can register to vote at the Trumbull County Board of Elections during business hours. The deadline to register to vote in the 2021 Ohio Primary Election is Monday, April 5. Military and overseas absentee voting: March 19-May 3 (46 days before Election Day). Voter registration deadline: Monday, April 5 (The Board of Elections will be open until 9 p.m. on Monday, April 5.). Early in-person voting: begins Tuesday, April 6 and includes the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Election Day. Early in-person voting dates/times: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., April 6-9; 8 a.m.-5 p.m., April 12-16; 8 a.m.-6 p.m., April 19-23; 8 a.m.-7 p.m., April 26-30; 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 1; 1-5 p.m., Sunday, May 2; 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday, May 3. In Mahoning County, early in-person voting takes place at the Mahoning County Board of Elections. Absentee voting by mail: Tuesday, April 6-Monday, May 3 (begins 28 days before Election Day). Absentee ballots may be returned by mail or personally delivered to the Board of Elections. Absentee ballot application deadline: absentee-ballot applications must be received by the Board of Elections by noon, Saturday, May 1. Absentee ballot postmark deadline: Monday, May 3. Voters can drop off absentee ballots at the Board of Elections until 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 4. Primary Election Day: Tuesday, May 4. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

• Register to vote.
• Lookup if you’re on the voting rolls.
• Find your polling location in Warren and Trumbull County.

Absentee voting by mail (information needed to request an absentee ballot)

You may use the application form prescribed by the Secretary of State (Form 11-A) or provided to you by your county board of elections to apply for your absentee ballot. If you choose not to use the prescribed form, your written application need not be in any particular format, but it must contain all of the following information:

1. Your name;
2. Your legal signature;
3. The address at which you are registered to vote;
4. Your date of birth;
5. One of the following items showing proof of your identification:
   • Your Ohio driver’s license number (begins with two letters followed by six numbers);
   • The last four digits of your Social Security number; or
   • A copy of a current and valid photo identification, a military identification, or a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document (other than a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections) that shows the voter’s name and current address.
6. A statement identifying the election for which you are requesting an absentee ballot;
7. A statement that you are a qualified elector;
8. If the request is for a partisan primary election ballot, your political party affiliation; and
9. If you want the ballot to be mailed to a different address than where you are registered, the address to which you want it mailed.

Send your request to your county board of elections. Board mailing addresses are available at OhioSoS.gov…

Absentee voting by mail

All Ohio voters whose registration information is up-to-date have the opportunity to vote in any election from the convenience of their own homes by requesting an absentee ballot. Absentee voting has many benefits – You can vote early, it is convenient, it reduces the chance of lines at the polls on Election Day, and absentee ballots are the first votes counted on Election Night. Voters need only fill out and return an application and their absentee ballot will be mailed to them so they may make their selections at their leisure and return their ballot to the board of elections ahead of Election Day.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is three days before the election in which you want to vote, but voters can submit their application any time. If mailed, absentee ballots must be postmarked by the day before the election in order to be counted. You can also return your absentee ballot in person to your county board of elections before the close of the polls at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

You can request your ballot for each individual election beginning on Jan. 1 or 90 days before the date of an election, whichever is earlier, but you must complete and submit a separate application for each election in which you want to vote. Your request must be received by your local county board of elections by noon the third day before the election (usually a Saturday). However, you should submit your request as far in advance of the election as possible to ensure there is sufficient time for the board to mail you a ballot and for you to timely return that ballot.

Steps to request and vote an absentee ballot:

1. Complete the absentee ballot request form*.
2. Once you have completed your application by providing all of the required information print and sign it.
3. Mail the request form back to your own county board of elections. Board mailing addresses are available here. https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/elections-officials/county-boards-of-elections-directory/
   
4. Wait to receive your ballot in the mail from your county board of elections. If you have questions about your absentee ballot request, you should call your county board of elections or you can track the status of your ballot request as well as your voted absentee ballot through the Voter Toolkit.
5. Return your voted ballot. You can send it by U.S. Mail or deliver it in person to your county board of elections, but the return envelope containing your marked ballot must either be received by your county board of elections prior to the close of the polls on Election Day (Tuesday, May 4) or postmarked no later than the day before the election (Monday, May 3) and received by the board of elections no later than 10 days after the election. To make sure your absentee ballot is counted, it must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day or be postmarked by the day before Election Day. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) estimates that it may take two to five days for your voted absentee ballot to be delivered to your board of elections by mail. If you are returning your voted ballot during the week before Election Day, you should take it to USPS no later then the day before Election Day and ensure it receives a postmark as follows:
   • If you use a postage label purchased at a USPS customer service window or vending machine, the date on the label is the postmark. This is the USPS-recommended way to postmark your ballot.
   • If you use postage stamps, ask that it be postmarked.

You should not use a postage meter or an online service (such as stamps.com…) to affix postage.

It is your responsibility to make sure the ballot has enough postage.

• If you return your ballot to the board in person, or if a near relative* delivers it for you, the board of elections must receive your ballot no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
• If you are a member of the uniformed services or a voter outside of the United States, the ballot must be mailed no later than 12:01 a.m. on Election Day at the place where you are located.

*Near relative includes the voter’s spouse or the voter’s father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece.

If you do not vote your absentee ballot and instead decide to go to your assigned polling place on Election Day, you must vote a provisional ballot.

Note: No voted ballot may be returned to a board of elections by fax or e-mail. If a voted ballot is returned by fax or e-mail, it will not be accepted, processed, or counted.

Military and overseas voters: State and federal law make additional accommodations for military and overseas voters. Visit www.OhioMilitaryVotes.com… for more information.

Hospitalized voters: If you or your minor child is in the hospital on Election Day, you must submit a properly completed and signed request to the board of elections of the county in which your voting residence is located by 3 p.m. on Election Day. To be eligible under this provision, you or your minor child must be confined in a hospital because of an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency. If you or your minor child is hospitalized in the same county where you are registered to vote, two representatives of the board of elections can deliver the ballot to you, wait while you mark the ballot, and return your voted ballot to the board office. Additionally, you may include in your absentee ballot application a request that your county board of elections give your unmarked ballot to a designated relative – your spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, son, daughter, adopted parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece – who shall deliver the ballot to you in the hospital and return your voted ballot to the board office. Click here for Hospitalized Absentee Ballot Request Form 11-B(opens in a new window).

What are the qualifications to register and to vote in Ohio?
You are qualified to register to vote in Ohio if you meet all the following requirements:
• You are a citizen of the United States;
• You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the next general election. (If you will be 18 on or before the general election, you may vote in the primary election to nominate candidates, but you cannot vote on issues or party central committees until you are 18);
• You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote;
• You are not incarcerated (in prison or jail) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state (Ohio), another state, or the United States;
• You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court; and
• You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violating the election laws.

You are eligible to vote in elections held in your voting precinct 30 days after you are duly registered to vote in this state. You may request an absentee ballot during that 30-day period.

• Register to vote. olvr.ohiosos.gov…

Voter-identification requirements/types of valid I.D.

There are several types of valid I.D.

1. Photo I.D.: Any document issued by the U.S. government or the State of Ohio that includes ALL of the following is an acceptable photo identification:
   • An expiration date that has not passed;
   • A photograph of the voter;
   • The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book; and
   • The voter’s current address, which must substantially conform to the voter’s address as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book UNLESS the I.D. is an Ohio driver’s license or state ID card. NOTICE: An unexpired Ohio Driver’s License, State I.D. Card or Interim Documentation with your former address IS an ACCEPTABLE form of I.D. when your current address is in the pollbook. *In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, driver licenses and state ID cards set to expire between March 9, 2020, and April 1, 2021, are automatically extended and remain valid through July 1, 2021.NOTE: On July 2, 2018, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles began issuing a new format of Ohio’s driver’s licenses and state identification cards. The BMV is also issuing Ohio Interim Documentation until the applicant receives their new ID through the mail. A driver’s license or state identification card in the old or new format, the Ohio Interim Documentation, and a voter’s old, hole-punched driver’s license or state I.D. card are acceptable forms of identification for voting, as long as the expiration date has not passed. If the voter changed their name and provides proof of the legal name change, completes and signs Form 10-L, and is registered within the precinct, the voter’s name as it appears on the photo ID may or may not be the voter’s reported change of name.
2. Military I.D.: Valid military identification cards or copies of such cards must be accepted regardless of whether they contain a name or address. However, this form of ID must still allow a precinct election official to determine that it is the military ID card of the person who is presenting it for the purpose of voting.
3. Utility bill: A utility bill is a statement of fees owed and/or paid for services, and includes, but is not limited to, water, sewer, electric, heating, cable, internet, telephone, and cellular telephone services. A valid utility bill may show a $0.00 balance or no amount owed.
4. Bank statement: A bank statement includes, but is not limited to, a statement from any financial or brokerage institution.
5. Government check: A government check includes, but is not limited to, a paycheck, check stub, or receipt provided for direct deposit of funds issued by any level of government (known as “political subdivision”) in Ohio, or for any other state, or the United States government.
6. Paycheck: A paycheck includes a paycheck, check stub, or receipt provided for the direct deposit of wages or earnings from any public or private employer. For the forms of I.D. listed in 3-6 above, the following rules for determining their validity apply:
   • The document may be a printout of an electronically transmitted copy or a regular paper copy.
   • The name and address on the document must conform to the voter’s information as it appears in the Poll Book.
   • The document must be current within 12 months of the Election Day for which the voter is presenting it.
7. Other Government Document: Must contain the correct name and current address of the voter.

• Other government documents are acceptable forms of voter identification. A government document is a document that is issued by a government office, which includes any local (city, county, township, and village government), state or federal government office, branch, agency, department, division, or similar component, including a board, commission, public college or university or public community college, whether or not in Ohio. Examples of government documents include but are not limited to, letters, tax bills, licenses, notices, court papers, grade reports, and transcripts.
• The name and address on the government document must conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book.
• The document must be current within 12 months of the Election Day for which the voter is presenting it for the purpose of voting or has on it an expiration date that has not passed as of the date of the election in which the voter seeks to vote. Remember: A voter who moves within the precinct (and completes a Voter Registration Form) or provides proof of legal name change (and completes Form 10-L) votes a regular ballot.

Provisional ballots: If you do not have any of the above forms of identification you may provide either your Ohio driver’s license or state identification number (which begins with two letters followed by six numbers) or the last four digits of your Social Security number and cast a provisional ballot. Once the information is reviewed and verified by the board of elections, your ballot will be counted.

If you do not provide one of the above documents or your driver’s license/state identification number or the last four digits of your Social Security number at the precinct, you will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot. However, in order for that ballot to be counted, you must return to the board of elections no later than seven days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification.

How to register to vote
You may obtain a voter registration form, and register to vote in person at any of the following locations:
• The office of the Secretary of State;
• The office of any of the 88 county boards of elections;
• The office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles;
• Public libraries;
• Public high schools or vocational schools;
• County treasurers’ offices; or Offices of designated agencies, including:
• The Department of Job and Family Services;
• The Department of Health (including the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program);
• The Department of Mental Health;
The Department of Developmental Disabilities;
• Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities; or
• The office of any state-assisted college or university responsible for providing assistance to students with disabilities.

• Register to vote. olvr.ohiosos.gov…

When you’ve completed your voter registration form, review it carefully for completeness and accuracy. You may either personally deliver, or send by U.S. Mail, your voter registration form to a county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office no later than the voter-registration deadline, the 30th day before the election at which you want to vote. (The deadline to register to vote in the Ohio Primary Election is Monday, April 5.)

You must provide either your Ohio driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. You sign an oath attesting to the accuracy of all information given. You must register using your legal name just as you would for any legal document.

To register to vote online, you will need to provide the following:

• Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number
• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Last four digits of your Social Security number

If you do not have any portion of the required information, follow this link to update your voting address using the Secretary of State’s paper form (PDF).  Once you complete this form, you must sign and send it to your county board of elections.

If you are a Safe at Home participant, before you proceed, follow this link to contact the Safe at Home office.

Information via the Ohio Secretary of State, Mahoning County Board of Elections, and Trumbull County Board of Elections. Compiled by the Metro Monthly staff.

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