Look for absentee ballot request forms for Nov. 8 election in Sunday’s Journal-News

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Voters wanting to cast an absentee ballot by mail in the Nov. 8 election can get an absentee ballot request form in the Sunday, Oct. 2, editions of the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News.

The newspapers will print an absentee ballot request form in the papers that registered voters can cut out, fill in and mail to their county board of elections to request a ballot be mailed to them.

“This is a big election as Butler County voters will decide on 40 ballot issues. Residents should make their voices heard,” said Journal-News Editor Mandy Gambrell. “The Journal-News is committed to providing information on how to vote, and that is why the absentee ballot request form is published in this newspaper.”

Local election boards will mail out ballots after the Oct. 11 deadline to register to vote in the election. Early voting starts Oct. 12. 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.

Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov. 7 and received by the board of elections no later than 10 days after Election Day. Each board will have a secure drop box for ballots.

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 Oct. 12, and runs for 28 days. Election officials say lines are typically very short the first few weeks of early voting. Polls will also be open on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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