COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the August 8 special election for Issue 1 in Ohio approaches, many voters are taking advantage of early voting.
According to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, as of Wednesday, 155,000 absentee ballots have been cast so far.
Since 1912, Ohio has used a simple majority of voters statewide to pass a constitutional amendment. Issue 1 would raise that threshold to 60% of the vote.
"Ohioans continue to show great confidence in our early voting options," said Secretary of State Frank LaRose. "They know we have a system of bipartisan accountability that keeps every vote secure, whether it’s cast early in person or sent in by mail. I’m especially encouraged by the level of participation in this election, proving that Ohioans had no problem participating in a statewide August election on this important issue.”
Additionally, throughout the state, over 167,000 absentee ballots have been sent since early voting began on July 11. The Ohio Secretary of State's office says that the numbers reflect nearly a five-fold increase in voter activity compared to the August statewide primary election of 2022.
Below is everything you need to know about how to vote for the special election:
WHAT ARE THE DATES FOR ABSENTEE VOTING?
- July 11: Absentee voting by mail and early in-person voting begin.
- Aug. 1: Absentee ballot applications must be received by your local Board of Elections by 8:30 p.m.
- Aug. 6: Early in-person voting ends.
- Aug. 7: Your mail-in absentee ballot must be postmarked by this date.
- Aug. 8: You can return your absentee ballot in person at your county Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m.
- Aug. 12: This is the last day for your Board of Elections to receive your absentee ballot.
HOW DO I TRACK MY ABSENTEE BALLOT?
Simple. There's a tracking tool for all Ohio voters to use HERE.
WHERE CAN I VOTE EARLY IN-PERSON?
You can check HERE.
WHEN ARE THE POLLS OPEN?
Polls are open throughout Ohio for the Aug. 8 special election from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Remember, you are still permitted to vote as long as you're in line before the polls close at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE IS MY POLLING PLACE?
You can find your polling location HERE.
WHAT FORM OF ID SHOULD I BRING SO I CAN VOTE?
You need to have a form of ID with you to cast a ballot on election day. Acceptable forms of identification as listed by the Secretary of State's office are as follows:
- Ohio driver's license;
- State of Ohio ID card;
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV;
- A US passport;
- A US passport card;
- US military ID card;
- Ohio National Guard ID card; or
- US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
All photo IDs must have the following:
- An expiration date that has not passed;
- A photograph of the voter;
- The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book
Ohio law prohibits acceptance of the following forms of ID:
- Driver’s license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio;
- Social Security card
- Birth certificate
- Insurance card
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check
- Paycheck
- Other government document
- Any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections
WHAT IF I FORGET MY ID?
"If you do not provide one of the above forms of photo ID, you will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot," according to the Secretary of State. "However, for that ballot to be counted, you must return to the board of elections no later than four days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification. If you do not have a photo ID because of a religious objection to being photographed, you may complete an affidavit of religious objection and have your provisional ballot count."
