OHIO — In nearly four weeks, many voters throughout Ohio will decide who will serve on their local boards of education, city councils and mayor’s offices. While municipal elections generally draw a smaller turnout than presidential and gubernatorial elections, these local officials could decide important issues, like mask mandates and police funding. 

In order to vote in the Nov. 2 general election, you must be registered with your local board of education. 

Monday marks the final day to register for the Nov. 2 general election. Here is what you need to know: 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

According to the Ohio Secretary of State, here is who is eligible to register: 

  • You are a citizen of the United States
  • You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the next general election
  • You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote
  • You are not incarcerated (in prison or jail) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state, another state, or the United States
  • You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court
  • You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violating the election laws

CAN I REGISTER ONLINE?

Yes, through the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. In order to register online, you will need to provide the following information:

  • Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number
  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Last four digits of your Social Security number

CAN I REGISTER IN PERSON?

A number of sites are hosting voting registration drives on Tuesday to register voters in person. Those locations are available on the National Voter Registration Day website. 

Additionally, voters can go to their local library, bureau of motor vehicles or board of elections to register in person. 

I HAVE NOT VOTED IN YEARS... AM I STILL REGISTERED?

There is a chance you are not. Earlier this year, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced that 97,795 registrations were removed from county board of elections voter registration databases. Those voters, LaRose’s office said, had not performed any voting activity in six years, or responded to 2016 confirmation notices from the county board of elections.

In addition to voting, voting activity could mean submitting a request for an absentee ballot but not returning a ballot, or submitting an updated registration with the board of elections. 

Voters can check their registration status on the Secretary of State’s website.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER?

You must be registered by Oct. 4 to be eligible for the November general election. County boards of elections in Ohio will remain open through 9 p.m. Oct. 4 to accept voter registration forms. 

WHAT IF I MOVED? DO I NEED TO REGISTER AGAIN?

Voters who are moving to another precinct within Ohio either need to update their registration before Oct. 4, or vote via a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is not included in the initial election night counts and has to be confirmed by the board of elections before being counted. 

Voters can update their registration through the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. Another option is to update your voter registration when updating your license information with the Ohio BMV.

I AM REGISTERED. WHERE AND WHEN DO I VOTE?

There are several options in Ohio to vote. Ohioans can begin voting through the mail or in person at county boards of elections starting Oct. 5. Filing for a mail-in ballot can be done through your county board of elections. To find where you can vote in person before Election Day, tap here.

If you prefer to wait until Nov. 2 to vote at your local precinct, you can find your polling site through your county board of elections.