Election Day in Ohio: What to know before going to the polls to vote
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Turnout could reach record levels Tuesday as voters exercise their last chance to have their voices heard this election year.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State's office, more than 2.5 million Ohioans voted during the early voting hours in the run-up to Tuesday's Election Day.
And that turnout has a lot to choose from. From U.S. President, Senator, U.S. House, and a myriad of local issues including levies for everything from schools to transportation, 2024's general election presents one of the most packed ballots in recent years. That includes the only statewide issue: Issue 1, which will decide who draws up the state's legislative maps.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and anyone in line when polls close will be able to cast their vote.
To vote, residents will be required to provide one of the following photo IDs to cast their ballots:
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- U.S. military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
All photo IDs must include:
- 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
Voters without photo IDs can cast provisional ballots on Election Day, and then return to the county board of elections headquarters with a photo ID to prove their identity. Voters who fail to do so will not have their vote counted.
Voters who received absentee ballots must have had them postmarked for Monday, Nov. 4, for them to be counted. If the voter didn’t return the ballot via the postal service, it can be dropped off at their county board of elections before polls close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Any voter who requested an absentee ballot but decided to vote in person must fill out a provisional ballot. This is due to the absentee ballot being registered in the voter’s name with the board of elections.
Voters are encouraged to visit their county board of elections website (see below) for further information or to report issues, and to find out which races and issues they'll be voting in.