Why did my Summit County polling place change? Everything to know about May 2 election

Early voting for the May 2 primary election started in Summit County and across Ohio this week.

This is the first election since Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation that changed policies on mail-in voting, ballot drop boxes and more. Photo identification will be required to vote.

In Summit County, there are about 50 fewer precincts in this election after the board of elections in December approved a redrawing of the county's precinct boundaries.

Here's everything you need to know about the reprecincting; how, where and when to vote in Summit County; and what's on your ballot.

Why did my polling place or election precinct change in Summit County?

Summit County previously had 420 precincts. It now has 371, with the board of elections adopting the new precinct boundary maps in December.

According to the board of elections, precincts were realigned due to multiple city ward and County Council boundary changes for the 2023 and 2024 elections. More people are also voting absentee in recent elections.

"We had some room that we could increase the number of registered voters per precinct," Summit County Board of Elections Director Lance Reed said. "We didn't want to go outrageous with any significant drop, but we felt that 370 range was comfortable to make sure that we could still have the right amount of voting equipment for voters as they come in to vote at the polls."

The board of elections redrew the precinct boundaries with the assistance of Florida-based geographic information systems technology company International Computer Works.

Per state law, precincts can't contain more than 1,400 voters. The board of elections can decide what a "reasonable number" of voters per precinct is "after taking into consideration the type and amount of available equipment, prior voter turnout, the size and location of each selected polling location, available parking, availability of an adequate number of precinct election officials and handicap accessibility and other accessibility to the polling location," the Ohio secretary of state's election official manual states.

The board of elections in late March mailed notices to all nearly 367,000 registered Summit County voters that said, “In conjunction with a number of cities in Summit County that were required by their Charter to update their Ward boundaries following the release of the 2020 Federal Census data, the Summit County Board of Elections has redrawn its voting Precinct boundaries.”

"We wanted to kind of get them out in a timely fashion so that people would get them early enough," Reed said. "That gave everybody somewhere in the range of five, five-and-a-half weeks before Election Day."

Although the number of precincts dropped, the number of polling locations in the county did not change, nor did the locations of polling places, Reed said.

Precincts and polling locations also didn't change for every single voter, but the board of elections is required by law to notify all voters of the changes, Reed said.

"We reprecincted the entire county," Reed said. "Some communities redrew ward boundaries, like the city of Akron redrew ward boundaries; some communities didn't...We had state district changes between state representative, state senator, all those different things, that it was a multitude of different variations that kind of led to changes for people."

To view precinct maps and polling locations, visit boe.ohio.gov/summit/precinct-and-polling-location-info/maps/ or lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/precandpoll.aspx.

How do I look up my polling place and election precinct in Summit County?

To find your polling location, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/pollfinder.aspx. To look up your voter information, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/vtrlookup.aspx.

Do I need a photo ID to vote?

Under the state's new election law, voters are required to show photo ID at the polls.

A Democratic law firm sued Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose on behalf of several groups, arguing the law will disenfranchise voters — particularly the elderly, military voters and people of color. The case is ongoing in federal court, and the judge hasn't issued any orders to keep the law from taking effect. The Ohio Republican Party and two election workers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

To vote in-person, either early or on Election, Day, voters have to show an Ohio driver's license, state of Ohio ID card or interim ID form from the Ohio BMV; a U.S. passport or passport card; or a U.S. military, Ohio National Guard or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card.

The new law allows Ohioans 17 and older to receive a free state ID card.

Photo IDs must have an expiration date that hasn’t passed, a photograph of the voter and the voter’s name. An unexpired Ohio driver’s license, state ID card or interim documentation with your former address is an acceptable form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook.

Voters can’t use a driver’s license or photo ID 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 or registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections.

Those without a valid form of identification can cast a provisional ballot, but they have to return to the board of elections within four days of Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification for the ballot to be counted.

Boards of elections have until eight days after the election, May 10, to determine what provisional ballots can be counted.

Those without a photo ID because of a religious objection to being photographed can complete an affidavit of religious objection and have their provisional ballot count.

When does early in-person voting and voting by mail start?

Military and overseas absentee voting started March 17. Absentee voting by mail and early in-person voting started Tuesday, April 4.

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

Absentee ballots can be returned by mail or delivered to your county board of elections.

The new law requires Ohioans who want to vote by mail to submit an application at least seven days before Election Day. That puts the deadline at April 25 for the May election, with absentee ballot applications required to be received by your board of elections by 8:30 p.m. April 25.

The absentee ballot postmark deadline is May 1. May 6 — four days after the election instead of 10 under the old law — is the last day for boards of elections to receive absentee ballots postmarked by May 1.

To request an absentee ballot, visit boe.ohio.gov/summit/absentee-information/absentee-voting/ and print and fill out the application. You can drop it off at or mail it to the Summit County Board of Elections Absentee Department, 470 Grant St. Akron, OH, 44311.

To check your absentee request or ballot, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/avlookup.aspx.

Counties are allowed to install one drop box at the board of elections office for voters or their near relatives to return absentee ballots anytime before 7:30 p.m. May 2, when the polls close.

Curbside voting is prohibited, unless someone has a disability and can't enter their polling place. In those cases, voters can cast ballots in their car or at the door of their polling location.

When is early in-person voting in Ohio?

Early in-person voting for this election is:

• April 4-7: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• April 10-14: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• April 17-21: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• April 24: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• April 25: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• April 26-28: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• April 29: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• April 30: 1 to 5 p.m.

In-person voting is no longer allowed the Monday before Election Day, but those hours were redistributed to another time.

When is the primary election in Ohio?

The primary election is on May 2, with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

What’s on my ballot in Summit County?

Voters will be choosing the Democratic and Republican candidates for Akron mayor, Akron City Council, Barberton mayor, Barberton finance director, Barberton law director, Barberton City Council, Barberton Municipal Court judge, Tallmadge mayor, Tallmadge finance director, Tallmadge law director and Tallmadge City Council (some races are uncontested). (Editor's note: This list of candidates has been updated with the accurate information of those appearing on the ballot in May.)

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Issues include a replacement and increase parks tax levy in Coventry Township; a replacement trash tax levy in Richfield Township; a replacement roads tax levy in Reminderville; renewal tax levies in the Stow-Munroe Falls, Green, Manchester and Woodridge school districts; additional tax levies in the Mogadore and Springfield school districts; and several local liquor options in Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Norton and Stow.

For a full list of candidates and issues, visit lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/summit/ballotlist.aspx.

This election is not a countywide election, so not every precinct will be voting.

Where can I get more information on voting in Ohio?

For more information on voting and the election, visit voteohio.gov or boe.ohio.gov/summit/ or call the Summit County Board of Elections at 330-643-5200.

USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau reporter Haley BeMiller contributed reporting. Contact Beacon Journal reporter Emily Mills at emills@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter @EmilyMills818.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: May primary election in Summit County: What you need to know