“The Journal-News is committed to providing information on how local citizens can participate in the election process, so we’re providing request forms for absentee ballots in our printed newspaper,” said Journal-News Editor Mandy Gambrell. “It is always important that folks do not miss the opportunity to have their say.”
Local election boards will mail out primary elections ballots after the April 4 deadline to register to vote in the primary. Early voting starts April 5. Voted ballots can be dropped off in person at your board of elections or mailed.
Elections officials urge voters wanting to vote by mail to submit requests for ballots as soon as possible to allow time for the request to get to the elections board, the ballot to get to the voter and the voted ballot to get back to the elections board.
Absentee ballots returned by U.S. Mail must be postmarked no later than May 2 and received by boards of elections by May 13 to be counted.
The deadline in Ohio law to request an absentee ballot by mail is noon on the Saturday before Election Day. But elections officials warn that waiting that long may make it impossible for ballots to be mailed to voters and returned on time.
Ohio law doesn’t allow voters to request absentee ballots online. But you can download and print out an absentee ballot request form at www.voteohio.gov. You can also call your local elections board to request one be mailed to you. If you have internet access but no printer, you can find directions on making your own request form at www.voteohio.gov.
Early in-person voting at local elections offices starts Tuesday, April 5, and runs through the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Election Day. Election officials say lines are typically very short or nonexistent the first few weeks of early voting.
This year’s primary election will be the chance for voters to select candidates to select partisan candidates for statewide elections like Ohio governor and U.S. senator, as well as local races like county commission. There are also local issues like tax levies on some ballots. The Ohio Secretary of State has told voters and elections officials to be ready for a May 3 primary with these races, though without legislative races with contested boundaries.
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