Every day since early voting began in Ohio last Tuesday, more people have cast ballots at the Hamilton County Board of Elections than in 2020.
More than 13,000 people have voted early at the Board of Elections in Norwood: 5,454 unaffiliated voters, 4,866 registered Democrats and 2,954 registered Republicans, according to data updated Saturday evening. (Democrats are more likely to vote early than Republicans, research shows.)
Deputy Director of Elections for Hamilton County Alex Linser says in 2020, the number of people voting early and by mail grew. While the increase in mail-in voting has not maintained 2020 levels, the number of people choosing to vote early remains high.
“In 2020 we saw a record 80,000 people vote early in Hamilton County,” Linser said. “So far, every day for the first week we were open, we have beat the same day in 2020. We are looking at an even higher turnout for early voting, just based on the first week.”
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The Board of Elections prepared for an increased volume of early voters by adding more check-in stations where poll workers scan IDs and confirm voter eligibility, Linser says.
“Our team inside that Early Vote Center has done a really good job, they are really efficient,” Linser said. “They can process about 800 voters an hour, which means, so far, despite having some days where we've seen 4,000 people show up to vote, there has never been a line.”
Linser says it is taking people about 15 minutes to vote early, from the time they walk in the doors to the time they leave.
The increased number of people voting early could mean shorter lines at the polls on Election Day.
“If we see 80, 90, or even 100,000 people vote early, that's that many fewer people that have to go to the polls on Election Day,” Linser said. “It helps lessen the congestion on Election Day.”
Early voting continues through Nov. 3, two days before Election Day.
When can you vote early in Hamilton County?
Early voting takes place at the Hamilton County Ohio Board of Elections, 4700 Smith Road, Cincinnati.
Free parking is available in front of the Board of Elections, as well as in the Central Parke garage across the street.
This early voting schedule is published by the Hamilton County Board of Elections.
- Oct. 14-18, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 21-25, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Oct. 27, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 28, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 29, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Oct. 30-31, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Nov. 1, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Nov. 2, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Nov. 3, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Adapting to absentee ballot drop-off changes
This year, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a directive that requires people delivering an absentee ballot on behalf of another person to sign an “attestation” at their county board of elections. This requires some people to now go into boards of elections instead of just using the drop-off box.
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Linser says the Hamilton County Board of Elections has opened up a drive-through for people needing to sign the form.
“We've opened a drive-through across the street from the Board of Elections,” Linser said. “There are bipartisan election officials there. You drive right up to them. If you have to fill out the form, they've got it on a clipboard for you.”