CLEVELAND, Ohio — Voting can be intimidating, especially to younger voters who may have not been taught how to fill out a ballot.

What You Need To Know

  • Officials will be there on Election Day to assist first-time voters

  • If you want to skip the lines on Election Day or avoid contact with people, voting by an absentee ballot may be right for you

  • You can vote early starting Oct. 6 through Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.

“I was definitely nervous the very, very first time that I went to vote. I was like, I don’t know what to do,” said Ohio University Student Alexie McFarland.

McFarland said she was nervous her first time and now acts as a resource to others her age.

Jennifer Lumpkin is from Cleveland Votes, a nonpartisan initiative focused on educating and engaging communities to vote.

“I think young people are very much motivated, interested and curious. It’s on the folks that came before them to make sure that that stays within their ethos and in their emotional and mental lexicon. It’s up to us to make sure that that happens, it’s not on young people to just know. There’s 18 year olds saying, 'We’re not lazy—we just don’t know what to do,'” said Lumpkin.

In Cleveland, Henry Curtis, the manager of Election Officials at Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, wants all voters despite their age to feel comfortable and confident about the process.

“The poll workers have been trained and many of them are returning. We have a high percentage of returners that take their job very seriously, that want to help the public, that believe that what we do is important,” said Curtis. “These persons really want to make sure that each individual that comes before them has the opportunity to cast their vote and be part of our democratic process. It’s always overwhelming the first time you do something, but if you come to the polls, we’re more than willing to shepherd you through the process.”

To vote, you’ll go to your local Board of Elections, show a poll worker your government issued ID or a recent utility bill, sign to get your ballot and then they’ll point you to a voting booth. You will fill out your ballot and then scan it. Once it's scanned, you'll get an “I voted” sticker and be on your way.

For those who want to skip the lines, you can request an absentee ballot and send in your vote by mail.

“Each registered voter would have to fill out an absentee ballot request, sign it, send that back to the board of elections, and then an absentee ballot is then mailed to that voter. The voter fills out the absentee ballot, all the accompanying information, and has the choice of either mailing it via the U.S. Post Office or bringing it down to our secure drop off box here at the Board of Elections. You may request an absentee ballot, currently as the law states, up to 12:00 on the Saturday before the election,” said Curtis.

Curtis said planning to vote early can be a good option for many reasons.

“Early voting has proven to be successful here in the state of Ohio. It alleviates long lines on Election Day. Also, given the fact that we’re in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, if people exercise the option to vote early, they can vote without a lot of contact with the public. Early voting will be available at the Board of Elections beginning Oct. 6 and early voting will end on the Monday prior to the election at 2 p.m.,” said Curtis.

If you have questions on the voting process, you can connect with your local Board of Elections or go to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website at voteohio.gov.