Election Day in Ohio: What to know before going to the polls
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio voters casting a ballot in Tuesday's primary and special election are deciding a myriad of local issues.
Polls are open until 7:30 p.m., and anyone in line when polls closed will be able to cast their vote. Each Ohio ballot features Issue 2, a proposed constitutional amendment to give out up to $250 million in bonds annually to fund local infrastructure projects, like building roads, bridges and water supply systems.
Locally, Ohioans are deciding various primaries and municipal issues, from city council seats and judicial races to property taxes and library funding. School districts are hoping to find success, with the fate of bond issues and levies on the ballot. Columbus City Schools is facing a packed race of 10 school board candidates hoping to advance in Tuesday's primary.
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
If voters do not have any of the above forms of identification, they may cast a provisional ballot. However, for that ballot to be counted, voters must return to the board of elections no later than four days after Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification.
Voters who received absentee ballots must have had them postmarked for Monday, May 5, 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 on 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.