COLUMBUS – More than 155,000 Ohioans have already voted in the August 8 special election, with less than three weeks remaining until Election Day, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s new Office of Data Analytics and Archives.
Additionally, Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections have sent more than 167,000 absentee ballots to voters statewide since early voting began on July 11. The numbers reflect an approximately five-fold increase in voter activity over the August statewide primary election of 2022. The Secretary of State’s data office compiled the information using data provided by the boards for activity between July 11 and July 19.
"Ohioans continue to show great confidence in our early voting options," said Secretary of State Frank LaRose. "They know we have a system of bipartisan accountability that keeps every vote secure, whether it’s cast early in person or sent in by mail. I’m especially encouraged by the level of participation in this election, proving that Ohioans had no problem participating in a statewide August election on this important issue.”
Early and Absentee Voting Through Tuesday, July 18
To find county by county data, click here or on the graphic above.
Ohio voters will find one proposed constitutional amendment on their August 8 ballot. State Issue 1 elevates the standards to qualify for and pass amendments to Ohio’s constitution. A sample of the ballot language on State Issue 1 can be found here. Voters can check early voting days and hours here.
This election season, Ohio voters will enjoy nearly 200 hours of early voting in the time leading up to the August special election. Ohio is one of 18 states that allows voting on a Saturday and one of just six states that allows early voting on a Sunday. Ohio’s early voting period is 21 percent longer than the national average.
Voters may also choose to vote by mail. Learn how to request your absentee ballot at VoteOhio.gov.
Of the 42 states that run a traditional absentee voting system, a comprehensive review by the Brookings Institute determined no state does it better than Ohio. SOURCE: www.brookings.edu/research/voting-by-mail-in-a-pandemic-a-state-by-state-scorecard/.
Absentee voting in Ohio is time-tested and has strong security checks in place.
Ohioans have utilized absentee voting for two decades, and that has allowed Ohio to put in place the safeguards necessary to make absentee voting secure against fraud.
- Voter identification and signature are checked TWICE during the process
- Voter list maintenance allows for accurate voter rolls
- Ballot harvesting is against the law in Ohio
- Voters are able to track their ballot on VoteOhio.gov/Track.
These requirements and processes, as well as strict laws against voter fraud, have made absentee voting secure in Ohio and instances of voter fraud exceedingly rare. Learn more about how Ohio keeps our elections secure by visiting ElectionSecurity.Ohio.gov.
Voters should consider these best practices when they choose the absentee ballot option:
- Fill in the information properly. Review the form to ensure you have filled it out correctly, including writing your date of birth where required--not the day’s date--as well as signing your request form.
- Include your e-mail and/or phone number. County boards of elections will be calling or e-mailing voters who may need to remedy information on their ballot request form or absentee ballot envelope. Including your information will ensure you can be reached if your ballot request doesn’t have everything filled out properly.
- Don’t wait. To accommodate necessary processing time at the county board of elections and the time required for the United States Postal Service to deliver elections mail, voters should not procrastinate – fill out and mail your absentee ballot request as quickly as possible.
- Double check your return envelope. Before you submit your ballot request form, make sure the envelope is addressed to your county board of elections.
- Track your ballot. Once their ballot request is received by their county board of elections, voters may track their ballot at VoteOhio.gov/Track. As long as your ballot is postmarked by the day before the election and received within 5 days after the election at your county board of elections, your vote will be tabulated.
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