How to Register to Vote in Ohio

Welcome to the great city of Columbus, known as “The Arch City” and the capital of Ohio. By now, you have probably settled in and started your life, making sure that the utilities are working and that the boxes have been unpacked. But the last thing on your list, and probably the last thing on your mind, is registering to vote in order to get involved with the political sphere in Columbus. Below our Columbus movers detail what you need and how to register to vote in Ohio.

Eligibility & Requirements

Before you register to vote in Ohio, be sure to have the following information:¹

• Ohio Driver’s License

• Name

• Date of Birth

• Address

• Last Four Digits of Your Social Security Number

Filling out the form online is the easiest and fastest way to register to vote in Columbus, but it still needs to be printed and signed by hand before submission by mail or in person. If you prefer to complete the forms in person instead or you’re not sure where to get the proper paperwork, you can obtain forms at the following locations:²

• Public high schools or vocational schools

• Public libraries

• The office of the Secretary of State

• The office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles

• The office of any of the 88 county boards of elections

Declaring Your Political Party

If you are curious how you would declare your political party, “Under Ohio election law, you declare your political party affiliation by requesting the ballot of a political party in a partisan primary election. If you do not desire to affiliate with a political party in Ohio, you are considered to be an unaffiliated voter. An unaffiliated voter does not vote the ballot of a political party in a primary election. However, an unaffiliated voter may vote the Official Questions & Issues Ballot, if there is one for the voter's precinct at the election.”²

Signature and Submission Deadlines

In Ohio, the law requires you to sign your voter registration form by hand, with the exception of those who are disabled, in which case a reasonable accommodation will be accepted. There’s a 30-day voter registration requirement, which means that the voter registration application must be submitted in person or postmarked (if submitted by mail) on the 30^th day before the election. “However, if the voter registration deadline falls on a Sunday or a legal holiday, then the deadline is extended to the next day that is not a Sunday or a legal holiday.”²

Submitting the Paperwork

Once you have completed the proper paperwork to register to vote in Columbus, you can drop it off at any of the locations listed above or you can mail it to the office of a county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office.

Once you have submitted you paperwork, “the board must register you to vote not later than 20 business days after receiving your application and promptly mail a notice to your voting residence address confirming that you are registered to vote, identifying your voting precinct and the location of your precinct, and stating the identification requirements for voting. If you do not receive a notice that your registration was accepted or rejected, please contact your county board of elections before Election Day to determine if the board received your application.”²

Contact Us

For further questions or tips, you can call our Columbus local movers for more information regarding the moving services we offer to make your move to town go as smoothly as our voter registration process.

Sources

1. Frank Larose Ohio Secretary of State – Register to Vote Or Update Your Voter Registration Information

2. Frank Larose Ohio Secretary of State – Register to Vote and Update Your Registration