Where do I vote? What kind of ID do I need? Last minute Ohio election questions answered

Haley BeMiller, Emily Mills and Lily Carey, Canton Repository
·5 min read

Ohio is holding an uncommon election today over a proposal that would make it harder to amend the state constitution.

Voters will decide whether the state should require 60% of voters to enact new constitutional amendments, instead of the current simple majority of 50% plus one. GOP lawmakers pushed for the election ahead of a potential November ballot question that would enshrine abortion rights in Ohio.

Statewide elections aren't often held in August, and turnout is typically low because Ohioans are preoccupied with summer activities. The last time Ohio voters considered a proposed constitutional amendment in August was 1926, according to the secretary of state's office.

What to know about Issue 1: Everything to know about Ohio Issue 1 and the August special election

Here's what you need to know about where to vote and what you'll need in order to cast your ballot.

What to know about Issue 1 in Ohio

The only thing on today's 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.)

It also would eliminate a 10-day cure period that allows citizens to replace any signatures deemed faulty by the secretary of state's office.

If approved, the 60% threshold would take effect right away, and changes to signature gathering would be in place starting Jan. 1.

When are the polls open in Ohio?

The polls are open between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Mail-in ballots postmarked by Monday must be received at your local board of elections by Aug. 12 to be counted. You can also return your absentee ballot in-person at your local board of elections before 7:30 p.m. on election day.

Where is my polling place in Stark County?

The Stark County Board of Elections moved a few polls earlier this year:

Meanwhile, the Stark County Board of Elections also mailed postcards to voters in a Massillon precinct that contained incorrect polling location information.

The correct polling location for voters in Massillon 6D is St. Barbara Catholic Church/Divine Mercy Parish, 2813 Lincoln Way NW. The polling location was the Boys and Girls Club of Massillon, but that facility is under construction.

The Board of Elections mailed letters to the voters who received the incorrect postcard to inform them of the error. A sign also will be posted at the Boys and Girls Club directing voters to St. Barbara.

To find your polling location, visit https://stark.oh-vote.org/VoterView/PollingPlaceSearch.do. To look up your voter information, visit https://starkcountyohio.gov/government/offices/board_of_elections/.

What kind of photo ID do I need?

A new law that went into effect at the end of April requires voters must now present a photo ID when they cast ballots in-person, either during early voting or on election day. That can be an Ohio driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, passport card, military ID or interim identification issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The ID does not need to have your current address on it.

County-issued veteran IDs do not qualify.

Voter voices: From Akron to Columbus: What Ohio voters think about Issue 1

To vote by mail, Ohioans need to provide a copy of their photo ID, driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

The new law also allows Ohioans 17 and older to receive a free state ID card. Voters who have religious objections to being photographed can cast a provisional ballot that excludes them from the ID requirement.

Another part of the new law requires the BMV to place "noncitizen" labels on the driver's licenses and state IDs of those who lack citizenship and are in the country legally.

Early voting for the Ohio special election

The high stakes of the election have already driven voters to the polls. Because Ohio hasn't held a statewide election in August since 1926, many were initially concerned that turnout would be low. Yet as of Friday, 578,490 Ohioans had voted early on Issue 1.

For comparison, about 288,700 people voted early for the May 2022 primary election, which featured highly contested races for governor and U.S. Senate. And in last August's primaries, just under 143,000 voted early.

"For the naysayers who said there would be low turnout for an August election, I think the turnout for early and absentee voting has been very robust," said Rob Nichols, spokesperson for the Secretary of State's office.

Who's voting early on Issue 1 ?

Though the state hasn't tracked early voting breakdowns by party, Franklin County has seen far more Democrats and independents voting early than Republicans on the GOP-backed issue. Of the 46,000 total early votes cast in the reliably blue county, more than 25,000 came from Democrats, with another 16,000 coming from independents. Yet uncertainty remains for election day itself.

"Everything with elections is about comparing, and with this one, you just can't really compare," said Aaron Sellers, spokesman for the Franklin County Board of Elections in Columbus.

The trend has echoed in urban counties across Ohio. Though wait times were shorter in Hamilton County this weekend, County Board of Elections Director Sherry Poland said they ended up with over 36,000 early in-person voters throughout the election cycle, and over 20,000 who requested an absentee ballot by mail.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Issue 1 special election in Ohio: Where do I vote? What ID do I need?