CINCINNATI — Voter registration has ended in Ohio, which means early voting for the November 2023 general election has begun.
Ohio is one of 12 states that allows at least 29 days of early voting. Voters can cast their early ballot between now through Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Registered voters may cast an early in-person ballot at their county board of elections. You can find your board of elections location here.
Voters can also submit their ballots early via absentee voting by mail.
Voters simply need to request their ballot seven days before the election, which is Tuesday, Nov. 7. If mailed, the ballot must be postmarked by the day before the election (Monday, Nov. 6) or it can be returned to your county board of elections before the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
For more information on absentee voting, click here.
For those wanting to in-person early vote, you'll need to bring an Ohio or federally issued photo ID that is not expired.
Here are the valid types of photo ID:
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- US passport
- US passport card
- US military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
There are also time restrictions for when you can submit an early in-person ballot.
Here are the early in-person voting hours:
- Oct. 11-13 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 16-20 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 23-27 — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 30 — 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 31 — 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Nov. 1-3 — 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Nov. 4 — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Nov. 5 — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
When voters head to their county board of elections, they will vote on two statewide issues: Issue 1, a proposed abortion amendment; and Issue 2, a proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
For Issue 1, Ohio voters will decide if they have a constitutional right to have an abortion, contraception, miscarriage care and fertility treatment. Sec. of State Frank LaRose announced on July 25 that the proposal to amend the Ohio Constitution to legalize and protect reproductive healthcare choices, including abortion, has enough valid signatures to make the ballot.
The proposed amendment also says the state can't prohibit, interfere or penalize anyone for exercising their right.
Since a ballot proposal to raise the threshold for constitutional amendments from 50%+1, a simple majority, to 60% failed in August, Ohioans only need to break that normal 50%+1 to pass the amendment.
You can click here to read more about Issue 1.
RELATED | Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine seeks compromise on abortion ban ahead of November vote
For Issue 2, voters will decide whether or not to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana for those 21 years of age and older. Individual Ohioans would also be able to grow up to six plants and up to 12 per household.
Some Ohio employers are questioning the safety impacts of legalizing recreational marijuana, while advocates say workers can use marijuana responsibly without jeopardizing the safety of workplaces.
You can click here to read more about Issue 2.
To view your county's sample ballot for the November election, click here.
