Absentee voting in Ohio is available and no excuse is required. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 7 days before an election.

Your marked absentee ballot must be postmarked by the day before Election Day and received no later than four days after the election in order to be counted. It can also be returned in person before the close of the polls on Election Day.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ABSENTEE?

Any registered voter in Ohio.

HOW DO I REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

You can request an absentee ballot and return the completed form through mail or in person.

You can request your absentee ballot for each election beginning on January 1st or 90 days before Election Day, whichever is earlier, but you must submit a separate absentee ballot application for each election in which you want to vote.

To request your absentee ballot, you must use the Secretary of State's official absentee ballot application form. Previously, applications were accepted in any form as long as all the required information was included, but the law has since changed.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

The last day to request an absentee ballot is 7 days before the election.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?

Absentee ballots must be received before the close of the polls on Election Day, or postmarked by the day before an election and received no later than four days after the close of the polls. 

WHEN DOES ABSENTEE VOTING START?

Absentee voting begins 29 days before an election.

Once absentee ballots are available for voting, you may either vote in person at your county board of elections office or receive and return the absentee ballot via US mail or overnight delivery services, such as FedEx or UPS.

HOW DO I GET MY ABSENTEE BALLOT AFTER I HAVE APPLIED?

When absentee voting begins, you can receive your absentee ballot either by mail or in person.

By mail: You must mail your completed absentee ballot application with your original signature to your county board of elections. The board must receive your application 7 days before the election, but you should submit your request as far in advance of the election as possible to ensure you receive your absentee ballot before the election.

In-person: You can go to your county board of elections office during regular business hours after absentee ballots are available for voting, but no later than the day before the election, and request, receive, and immediately vote your ballot at the board office.

For more information, please contact the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

CAN I TRACK MY MAILED ABSENTEE BALLOT?

You can sign up to track your absentee ballot through the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.

WHAT IF I REQUESTED AN ABSENTEE BALLOT BUT WANT TO VOTE IN PERSON?

If you requested an absentee ballot, you can still vote in person.

If you would like to vote at the county Early Vote Center you can during the Early Voting period and you can vote a regular ballot. If you would like to vote on Election Day you can, but you will have to vote a provisional ballot. You will be asked for your absentee ballot during Early Voting, but if you do not have it with you, you can still vote on a regular ballot.

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT IF I AM HOSPITALIZED ON ELECTION DAY?

If you are hospitalized on Election Day, regardless of where you are hospitalized, you must submit a properly completed and signed request to the board of elections of the county where your voting residence is located by 3:00 p.m. on Election Day.

To be eligible under this provision, you must be confined in a hospital because of an unforeseeable medical emergency, and your application must specify where, when, and why you came to be hospitalized.

You may include in your absentee ballot application a request that your county board of elections give your unmarked ballot to a designated relative. A relative includes: your spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, son, daughter, adopted parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece. Your relative would then deliver the ballot to you in the hospital and return it to the board office after you have voted it.

If you are hospitalized in the same county where you are registered to vote, two representatives of the board of elections can deliver the ballot to you and return it to the board office.

HOW DO I REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AS AN OVERSEAS OR US MILITARY VOTER?

Overseas citizens and US military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.