Registration deadline, early voting start next week for Ohio primary for statehouse races

Anna Staver, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
Early voting, also called absentee in-person voting, starts next week for the Aug. 2 primary election. Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
Early voting, also called absentee in-person voting, starts next week for the Aug. 2 primary election. Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch

Ohioans already decided who they wanted to run for governor and U.S. Senate, but their civic duties aren't over.

There's a second primary for the state House and Senate candidates on Aug. 2 as well as members of both major parties' state central committees.

A separate primary for state elections isn't normal, but delays in drawing new district maps for these races pushed the primary out of May and into August.

Here's what you need to know:

Getting registered

If you're not registered to vote, the deadline for the August primary is Tuesday, July 5. Voters who have moved also need to update their registrations by Tuesday's deadline.

This can be done at your local board of election office or online through the Ohio Secretary of State's website.

Early voting

Early voting starts on July 6 and runs through Aug. 1. Voters can vote in-person early at their county board of elections office. Here are the hours from the Secretary of State's website:

  • July 6-8: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

  • July 11-15: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

  • July 18-22: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

  • July 25-29: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

  • July 30: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

  • July 31: 1 - 5 p.m.

  • August 1: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Absentee ballots/vote by mail

Voters who request an absentee ballot must have them postmarked by Aug. 1.

If you request one and forget to mail it, you can drop it off at your local board of election office on Aug. 2 before the polls close at 7:30 p.m.

Bring your ID

Ohio voters don't need a picture ID to vote in person, but you can be asked to verify your address.

This can be done with a valid driver's license that has your current address, a state-issued ID, a military ID, or an original copy of a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck.

For a full list of acceptable identifications, click here.

Voters who forget to bring an acceptable form of identification or those who forgot to update their addresses can still request to vote using provisional ballots.

Anna Staver is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau. It serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Early voting for Ohio's second primary starts Wednesday