CLEVELAND — If you want to vote in Ohio, there's some essential dates to remember during the next two weeks.
At the top of the list: Register. Here's the 3News Vote Guide to help.
The guide is just one facet of Tegna's "Remember to Vote" campaign, an effort to encourage voters to engage in the political process. Look for more content on all platforms in the coming weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 election.
Here's some quick reminders:
If you’re not registered, you have until Oct. 5 to do so. You can register online or in-person at your local elections board. If you fail to register by the deadline, you are not eligible to vote in the general election on Nov. 3.
If you are registered, you can cast your vote on Oct. 6. That’s the day early, in-person voting begins at your local elections board office. Oct. 6 is also the day that county election boards begin mailing absentee ballots to those who applied.
Applications for absentee ballots were previously mailed to all of Ohio’s registered voters. If you need to apply, you may request an application through Oct. 31.
Once you mail in your application, the county election board will mail out an actual ballot.
After filling in your choices on your actual absentee ballot, you may mail it back to the elections board, where it will be counted with others on Election Day. Or, you can also drop it off at a collection box outside the board offices.
There are pending legal cases challenging the one-box per county rule, with groups such as the ACLU arguing for better access through additional collection bins in other, more convenient locations.
The key to making sure your vote is counted: Vote, don’t procrastinate.
Your absentee ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 2. If you miss that date, you can still drop off the ballot on Nov. 3, Election Day. But rest assured, the election boards will be crowded on Election Day.
If you’re concerned about mailing your ballot, you can track your ballot’s progress on VoteOhio.gov to see if it arrived.