FAQs for voters in college
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Visit your county’s Board of Elections or the Ohio Secretary of State’s website and register at least 30 days before Election Day.
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30 days before Election Day.
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Yes, if you are a US citizen and have been living in Ohio for at least 30 days, you qualify to vote in Ohio. You must register to vote in Ohio. Then you can vote in person using a valid, unexpired Ohio photo ID or driver’s license, or passport to vote in person, or simply vote by mail / absentee vote using the last 4 digits of your social security number.
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They are the same for you as they are for anyone else. If you are a US citizen and have been living in Ohio for at least 30 days, you qualify to vote in Ohio.
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You can visit OhioVoterGuide.org to find your polling place and any additional information you need.
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To vote in-person in Ohio, you need a valid, unexpired Ohio photo ID or driver’s license, or US passport. To vote by mail / absentee vote in Ohio you can simply use the last 4 digits of your social security number.
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You can use your valid, unexpired US passport, or vote by mail using the last 4 digits of your social security number.
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You can visit your local Board of Elections to complete an absentee ballot request form, or find one at the Ohio Secretary of State’s website and complete the information to request one.
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The deadline to request an absentee ballot is seven days before the respective election.
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You can vote early at your local early voting center, which is usually your county’s Board of Elections. You can find your early voting location by visiting OhioVoterGuide.org, and early voting hours can be found at the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.
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Everything you need is at OhioVoterGuide.org. OhioVoterGuide.org has nonpartisan information about all 1,395 candidates running in Ohio this year, including biographies and endorsements on the biggest statewide candidates and issues.
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On Election Day, polls are open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM. If you are in line to vote at 7:30 PM when polls close, you can still vote. Stay in line until it is your time to vote.
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Yes, if you are a qualifying resident of Ohio you can vote, even if you are out of state on vacation or while studying abroad. You will likely have to vote by mail. You can find more information on absentee voting, also known as vote-by-mail here.
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If you qualify to vote in your home state and there is still time to register there, you can certainly do so. Be sure to research the requirements in your home state, and only vote in one state.
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Absentee voting and voting by mail are two phrases for the same activity.
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Follow the requirements for requesting an absentee ballot from your home state. Guidelines will likely be on your home state’s Secretary of State’s website or similar site. WhenWeAllVote.org or Vote.org may be able to help you locate the right resources.
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Absentee ballots must be postmarked the day before the election, or returned in person to your county’s Board of Elections before 7:30 PM on Election Day.
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Yes, you can return your absentee ballot in person to your county’s Board of Elections before 7:30 PM on Election Day.
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That decision is entirely up to you. You should vote wherever you are legally considered a resident of. You are considered an Ohio resident once you take a job, sign a lease, buy a home, or enroll a child in school in Ohio.
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Bring your valid, unexpired Ohio state ID or driver’s license, military ID, or US passport.
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Everyone voting in person in Ohio needs a valid form of ID.
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OhioVoterGuide.org can help!
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If you make a mistake you may request a second ballot.
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Innovation Ohio posts resources. WhenWeAllVote.org and Vote.org have resources, also.
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Unfortunately if that happens you may not be registered to vote, or something may have been processed wrong. Double check that you are in the right location to vote, and you can check your registration online at OhioVoterGuide.org. If everything looks to be in order, vote provisionally and then be sure to follow-up to make sure your vote is counted.
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Yes! Contact your county’s Board of Elections.
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You should still find a way to vote! If you have other obligations on Election Day, you should plan ahead to absentee vote or early vote. Some schools and workplaces offer a holiday on Election Day so people can go vote. It may be worthwhile to see if that applies to you.
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You will likely get a notification by mail, but you can also check at OhioVoterGuide.org.
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Yes, but you will have to be sure that your vote counts by following up with your county’s Board of Elections within 4 days of casting your ballot.
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Many colleges and universities have civic engagement programs. You can likely find this at your school’s student union or on their website. Ask trusted peers, advisors, and professors what they know about your campus’s civic engagement programs.
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You can call an Election Protection Hotline: 866-687-8683 for English, 866-839-8682 for Spanish, 844-925-5287 for Arabic, and 888-274-8683 for Asian languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali).
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