Tuesday is the deadline for mail-in ballot requests for Aug. 8 election.
Tuesday, Aug. 1 is the deadline for voters to request an absentee ballot for the Aug. 8 election.
While this election cycle has seen a jump in early and absentee voting, Ohio recently changed its absentee voting and voter ID laws, leading to some confusion earlier this month.
More: You asked, we answered: What Ohioans need to know about the August election on Issue 1
Here's how to make sure your absentee ballot gets counted.
Requesting your absentee ballot
To request an absentee ballot, voters must fill out an application, which is available on the Secretary of State website, and return it to their county board of elections. Applications for absentee ballots must be received no later than seven days before an election, so anyone who needs a ballot must request it Tuesday and should return it in-person Tuesday at their county board of elections office. You can track the status of your absentee ballot request using the Secretary of State's Voter Toolkit.
Once the application is received, the county board of elections will mail your absentee ballot to you. Voters can then fill out their ballot from home.
Issue 1: Everything to know about Ohio Issue 1 and the August special election
Voting early in-person advised
However, absentee ballot applications must be received by local boards of elections by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 1 meaning that if you put your application in the mail Tuesday morning it will not get to your board of elections by the deadline. Voters can drop those off those applications in-person at their boards of election, but they also can just cast their ballot in-person at the board of elections to guarantee their vote is counted.
If returning an absentee ballot by mail, it must be postmarked by the day before Election Day — for voters weighing in on Issue 1, that's Aug. 7 — and received by the county board of elections no later than four days after the election.
For voters who are requesting their ballot Tuesday, the last day available, it's recommended to return the ballot in person at your county board of elections if possible to avoid delays in the mail and ensure that your vote gets counted. Absentee ballots are typically the first votes to be counted on Election Day once the polls close.
Ohio also changed its absentee voting policy in December, requiring voters to fill out a state-issued form to request an absentee ballot. The official form can be found on the Secretary of State website.
Final week of early voting
With the Aug. 8 election just around the corner next Tuesday, this is also the last week to vote early in-person at your county board of elections.
Here are the early voting hours this week:
August 1: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
August 2-4: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
August 5: a.m. - 4 p.m.
August 6: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Early voting has been extremely popular so far this summer, with over 115,000 early in-person votes cast last week. August elections are very unusual in Ohio, and turnout is typically low since many voters may be preoccupied with summer activities, driving many to vote early.
Boards of elections are open all weekend, but will be closed on Monday, Aug. 7, so voters are encouraged to plan ahead and make sure they beat the crowds.
What to know about Issue 1
The only thing on the Aug. 8 ballot is Issue 1. If passed, the measure would make it more difficult to amend the state constitution, requiring 60% approval for amendments instead of the current simple majority.
Issue 1 would also require citizen groups to collect signatures on petitions for constitutional amendments from at least 5% of voters from the last gubernatorial election in all 88 counties, instead of 44. (The current rule uses the 5% mark, as well.)
Learn more: Everything you need to know about Ohio Issue 1 and the August special election
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How to request absentee ballot before deadline, vote early for Aug. 8
