The midterm election is fast approaching on Nov. 8. On Tuesday’s National Voter Registration Day, election officials are hoping eligible voters understand it can be easy to sign up to cast a ballot.
“The process is actually very simple and has been made simpler over the years,” said Kenton County Clerk Gabrielle Summe. “My concern is always that people do it now, so that if there's any question, or there's something they need to fix, so there is the paper option, they can always walk right into this office or any office to get a paper voter registration card to fill out.”
Registering early allows election officials time to ensure your information is correct.
In Kenton County, election officials have been hard at work processing registrations.
“We have received, I think it was close to 210 over the last couple days,” Summe said.
Summe said it’s hard to say if those are new voters or voters changing registration details.
Across the river in Hamilton County, numbers are ticking up.
“Our registration numbers are increasing,” said Hamilton County Board of Elections Director Sherry Poland. “Very similar to the 2018 election.”
Poland said there has been a lot of interest in this election.
“Everything's up,” she said. “Our registration numbers are trending a little bit up, the number of even poll workers that have confirmed.”
Across the country, some studies, including one by the New York Times, have suggested more women have registered to vote after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade.
“Certainly, the abortion decision seems to have brought in a few more votes that otherwise had been resistant to the process,” said University of Cincinnati political science professor Dr. David Niven.
Niven said we shouldn’t expect a big wave of new voters.
“Most people are already registered,” he said. “The registration process really is a vital one for young folks and for folks who move a lot.”
He said the process can be a hurdle, preventing some people from voting at all.
“You can affect election outcomes by getting a few more folks registered and getting them participating in the process,” he said.
Local political parties understand this. Members of the Hamilton County Republican Party lead door-knocking efforts each Saturday. The Hamilton County Democratic Party said they also engage in door-knocking efforts, while also meeting with citizens at community events.
Election officials say voting is an important way to have an impact on your community.
“This is your voice, especially for local government,” Summe said. “We have so many nonpartisan races on top of the, you know, county races and the big federal races. You've got nonpartisan judicial races. You've got your city councils, your school boards. Those are (in) your community that you are dealing with all the time.”
Here are a few key dates for voters in Ohio to be aware of:
- Voter registration deadline: October 11
- Early voting begins: October 12
- Deadline to request an absentee ballot: November 5
- Absentee ballot must be postmarked by: November 7
Ohio voters can register to vote or check their registration by clicking here.
In Kentucky, here are the key dates voters should know:
- Voter registration deadline: October 11
- Absentee request deadline: October 25
- Early voting: November 3,4,5
Find more information from the Kentucky Board of Election by clicking here.
In Indiana, these are the key dates for voters:
- Voter registration deadline: October 11
- Absentee request deadline: October 27
Register to vote and find more information including early voting hours by clicking here.
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