This is your QUICK GUIDE to getting ready to vote in Ohio and Portage County. You'll find information on this page about:
- VOTER REGISTRATION
- EARLY VOTING
- ELECTION DAY VOTING
- LISCENSES/ID CARDS
- VOTE BY MAIL
- OTHER CHANGES & INFORMATION
- VOTE411.ORG FOR VOTING INFORMATION & VOTERS GUIDE FOR DOWNLOAD
- YOUR QUESTIONS
- COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN MARCH ON VOTING CHANGES
- KENT WARDS 1&6 MEETINGS WITH CANDIDATES ON APRIL 6
- VOTING Q&A
Voter Registration
You'll need one of the following:
- A BMV issued Ohio license or ID card number; OR
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The last four digits of your social security number
No longer acceptable when registering to vote:
- Military ID
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A copy of a Photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document
MORE INFORMATION ON REGISTERING TO VOTE INCLUDING REGISTERING AS A COLLEGE STUDENT
Early Voting
You'll need one of the following forms of unexpired Photo IDs:
- BMV issued Ohio license or ID card (old address acceptable)
- U.S. Military, U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs, or Ohio National Guard card
- U.S. Passport Book/Card
You can no longer:
- Vote with the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
- Use a copy of a Photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document as a form of ID.
- Vote on the last Monday before Election Day.
Election Day Voting
You'll need one of the following forms of unexpired Photo IDs:
- BMV issued Ohio license or ID card (old address acceptable)|
- U.S. Military, U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs, or Ohio National Guard card.
- U.S. Passport Book/Card.
You can no longer:
- Vote with the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
- Use a copy of a Photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document as a form of ID.
BMV Issued Licenses/ID Cards
Beginning on April 7, 2023:
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Any permanent or temporary resident of Ohio 17 years of age or older qualifies for a BMV issued State ID Card free of charge if that person:
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is not licensed as an operator of a motor vehicle in this or any other state.
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does not hold an identification card from another state.
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All non-citizens who apply for a license or ID card of any kind will have a notification on their card that indicates they are not a citizen of the United States.
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Individuals who becomes citizens of the U.S. may qualify for a free replacement of their license/ID card if all of the following is true
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The card is valid and its expiration date is not within 90 days of expiration.
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Their current card indicates the cardholder was a noncitizen
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The applicant is a U.S. citizen at the time of application.
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Please note that an ID card is not the same as a license and does not grant you the privilege to operate any motor vehicle.
Vote by Mail
You will now need to:
- Use an official request form 11-A from the Secretary of State to vote by mail.
- Submit an absentee ballot application by the 7th day before Election Day.
- Deliver your mail ballot in person to your local Board of Elections by 7:30 PM on Election Day OR send it via USPS in which it must be postmarked by the day before Election Day AND received by the 4th day after Election Day.
You can now:
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Use your U.S. Passport Book/Card as a form of ID.
You can still use the last four digits of your Social Security Number as a form of ID to vote by mail.
You can no longer:
- Use a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document as a form of ID.
- Request to vote by mail with any written application other than a Form 11-A.
Information & More Changes...
An exception to the photo ID requirement exists for person with a religious objection to being photographed. They can vote with the last four digits of their social security number during early voting or on Election Day AND must sign an "Affidavit of Religious Objection". The affidavit and vote will be void if the voter is found to have a currently unexpired photo ID.
Curbside Voting is now more prohibitive and only available to voters who are "physically unable to enter the polling place". However, a disability claim cannot be contested by an elections official.
Questions
Have more questions? Visit the site of the Portage County Board of Elections at portagecounty-oh.gov/board-elections. You can email us at the League of Women Voters of Kent, lwvkent [at] gmail.com or call us at (330) 271-6188.