Information Taken from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Website

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In 2007 Ohio Voters will elect: 

• Mayors in some municipalities 

• City Council or Commission members 

• Village Mayors, Council, Fiscal Officer and Board of Public Affairs member 

• Township Trustee 

• Township Fiscal Officer 

• School Board members 

• Municipal Court Judges in some municipalities

VOTER ELIGIBILITY

You are qualified to vote if:

• You are a citizen of the United States
• You are at least 18 years old on or before the day of the general elections. If you will be 18 on or before November 4, you may vote in the primary election for candidates, but not on issues.
• You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election.
• You register to vote at least 30 days before the election.

How is residency determined?

By law, your residence is the place to which, whenever you are absent, you have the intention to return. If you continuously reside outside of Ohio for a period of four years or more, you are not a resident of this state for voter registration purposes, except if you are absent from Ohio because of federal or state government employment, including military service.

Can a student vote from his/her school address?

Yes, if the student regards that place as his/her residence and registers to vote. Otherwise, the student must vote in his/her home community, if registered there.

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Does everyone have to be registered?

Yes, except for members of the armed forces serving on active duty. Their spouses and dependents are also exempt if they left Ohio to be with the service member.

• At any county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office.
• At branch registration offices or locations established by a board of elections.
• At any public high school or vocational school.
• At the offices of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
• At public libraries.
• At offices of designated agencies that provide public assistance or disability programs.
• At county treasurers’ offices.
• By mail. You may request a registration form from a board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office by mail, 
• By telephone, 
• In person or by having another person obtain it for you.

After completing the form, return it to your local board of elections or Secretary of State’s office. Mailed registration forms must be sent to a county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office and must be postmarked 30 days before an election to be valid for that election. 

Registration forms not mailed must be received by a board of elections, the Secretary of State’s office, a public high school or vocational school, public library, office of any Bureau of Motor Vehicles, county treasurer’s office or designated agencies 30 days before an election to be valid for that election.

Do I declare my politics when I register?

No. Under Ohio law, your party affiliation is determined by the ballot you vote in a primary election.

What if I change my address or name?

If you are now registered and move within the state or change your name, you must report the change to the board of elections by completing a voter registration form at the location previously mentioned by mail. You may also complete a notice of change in voting status and file it with the court when you apply for a marriage license or when your name is changed by court order.

Mailed forms must be sent to a county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office at least 30 days before an election.

Forms not returned by mail should be received by a board of elections, the Secretary of State’s office, a public high school or vocational school, public library, office of any Bureau of Motor Vehicles, county treasurer’s office or designated agency at least 30 days before an election. If you do not report the change by the 30th day before an election, please read Exceptions.

Exceptions

If you change your name or and/or move from one precinct to another in your county, you may report the change and vote by appearing at the board of elections during the 28 days immediately prior to the general or special election, or the 25 days immediately prior to the presidential primary election; or on election day, you may go to the polling place in the precinct in which you now reside, the board of elections, or a site designated by the board.

If you move from one county to another in the state, you may report the change and vote at the board of elections in the county in which you now reside during the 28 days immediately prior to the general or special election, or the 25 days immediately prior to the presidential primary election; or on election day, at the board of elections or a site designated by the board.

If you vote under these circumstances, you will vote a provisional ballot, which is similar to an absentee ballot.

TTY assistance:

The Secretary of State’s office maintains a phone line to provide information on registration and voting for hearing-impaired citizens. The TTY number is (614) 466-0562.

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ELECTION DAY VOTING PROCEDURES

Where do I vote?

You cast your ballot at the polling place designated to serve the precinct in which you reside. If you are in doubt as to the location of this polling place, contact your county board of elections.

How do I vote?

If you are unsure of the correct procedure to cast your ballot or if you have incorrectly marked or torn a ballot or ballot card, the election official at your precinct will provide you with instructions.

May a voter receive assistance in voting?

A voter with physical or mental disability or who is unable to read or write may be assisted by anyone of the voter’s choice, except a candidate whose candidacy is being voted on in that precinct, an employer or his/agent, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. The voter may be assisted by two poll workers of opposite political parties. No one who assists a voter may disclose any information about how that person voted.
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How do I establish which party’s ballot I am entitled to vote?

If you are a new voter, you may vote the primary ballot of any political party. If you voted the primary ballot of a political party in 2000 or 2001, and this year you want to vote the ballot of another party, you change your affiliation by signing a statement to that effect when you vote.

May I vote on ballot issues at a primary election without declaring my politics?

Yes. You may vote on issues without voting for the candidates of a political party by requesting an issues-only ballot.

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2007 ABSENTEE DEADLINE

If requesting a ballot by mail, the board of elections must receive your written request for an absentee ballot by NOON SATURDAY, Nov. 3rd, 2007 for the Nov. 6th General Election. If voting in person, you may apply until close of regular board of elections’ hours the date before the election. Both Montgomery and Greene counties have an absentee ballot registration form on their website. 
Check http://www.mcboe.org/ for Montgomery County and http://www.co.greene.oh.us/elections.htm for Greene County.

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2007 ABSENTEE VOTING and EARLY VOTING

You can now vote before Election Day without having to state a reason.  Also, ID requirements are simpler. You can also vote early by two different methods:  

By mail:

1. Call your Board of Elections to ask for an Absentee Ballot Request Form.
2. Return the completed request form to the Board of Elections immediately (it must be received by November 6 before 7:30 p.m.) and they will send you an Absentee Ballot.  You MUST apply for an absentee ballot at least 3 days before the election (except in the case of unexpected health emergencies).
3. Complete the absentee ballot and return it with the correct postage immediately.
4. When you mail in your completed absentee ballot, you must also provide ID.  The ballot itself will instruct you about what is acceptable ID.  Read it carefully and be sure to include the required ID with your mailed-in ballot.
5. Your ballot must be received by November 6.  

OR  

At your Board of Elections:  

1. Call your Board of Elections, find out their hours, and go into their office between October 3 and noon November 3.
2. You will be asked fill out their absentee ballot request.
3. If your registration is OK, you will be allowed to vote immediately while you are there.
4. If you can supply your driver’s license number OR the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, you won’t need any of the other forms of ID in order to cast your ballot.

How do I apply for an absentee ballot?

Write or go to the board of elections in your county and request an absentee ballot, and give them: 

• your name and voting residence address;

• the election for which you are requesting a ballot; 

• your reason for being absent from the polls on election day; (If the election is a primary, include your party choice, or that you want to vote an issues-only ballot.); 

• the mailing address to which you want your ballot sent; and 

• your signature. [Top]

Note: The absentee ballot request deadline in the case of medical emergencies is 3 p.m. on election day. To be eligible under this provision, you must be confined in a hospital because of a medical emergency. A close relative may deliver and return your ballot if you so request and state the relative’s name and relationship on the application, or representative of the board of elections can deliver the ballot.

Exceptions:

Ballots mailed from out of the country will be counted if received by the board up to 20 days after a presidential primary, and 10 days after any other election, if post-marked by election day.

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ARMED SERVICE ABSENTEE VOTING

If you are serving on active duty in the U. S. armed forces outside the state, you, your spouse and your dependents may vote by an armed service absentee ballot if you otherwise meet the requirements for voting in Ohio.  Your spouse and dependents may vote by an armed service absentee ballot only if they left Ohio to be with the service member.

The voting residence of the service member is the place where you resided when you first entered the service, unless you later established a voting residence elsewhere in Ohio.  Armed service absentee voters do not need to be registered to vote.

How do I apply for an armed service absentee ballot?

You, your spouse or a close relative may request the board of elections to mail a ballot to you.  Application may be made in person, by mail or fax.  An Ohio application form or a federal postcard application may be used for convenience, but neither is required; however, all mail requests must include the following information:[Top]

• Your name and voting residence (Ohio address)
• A statement that you are serving in the U. S. armed forces on active duty or are the spouse or dependent of a service member.
• The election for which a ballot is requested.
• If the election is a primary, include your party choice, or that you want to vote in an issues-only ballot.
• The mailing address to which you want your ballot sent.
• Signature of person requesting ballot.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

The Montgomery County Board of Elections is located in 
the Montgomery County Office Building
at 451 W. Third St., mezzanine level.  
Their phone is 225-5656.
Their web address is http://www.mcboe.org.

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GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

The Greene County Board of Elections is located 
at 651 Dayton-Xenia Rd., Xenia, OH 45385.  
Their phone is 562-7470.
Their web address is: http://www.co.greene.oh.us/elections.htm  

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