How to Obtain an Absentee Ballot in Ohio
Absentee voting is a way that registered voters can vote if they happen to be out of town or unable to get to their polling location on election day. This process allows them to vote on paper and then return the ballot by mail or in person to their local board of elections on or before election day. The following steps below are all you need to know if you are interested in obtaining an absentee ballot in the state of Ohio.
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Instructions
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Find out when absentee voting starts. Ballots are made available 25 days before the presidential primary election and 35 days before the general election. It ends the day before the election. Any qualified voter in the state of Ohio may request an Absentee Ballot for any reason.
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Request an absentee ballot. Different procedures are required for different types of absentee voters (overseas, military and so forth). Regardless, all absentee voters are required to submit their request in writing to the Board of Elections in the county in which you are registered to vote. An application can be found at the Secretary of State website, and while it is not necessary, it ensures you have included all the pertinent information required in your request and is therefore the preferred method of inquiry by most. If you are in the military and wish to have a family member fill out an absentee ballot on your behalf, a different form is required, it is also available at the Secretary of State website listed in Resources below.
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Fill out ballot and return it by mail. If you are mailing your ballot from anywhere in the United States, it must be postmarked the day before the election and received no later than 10 days after the election. If you are mailing your ballot from anywhere outside of the United States, the envelope must be signed and postmarked by the close of polls on election day and received no more than 20 days after the election. If returned in person, the ballot must be received by your local board of elections by the close of polls on election day.
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