Ohio will hold a primary election on March 19 to determine the Republican and Democratic candidates who will appear on the ballot in November's general election.
There will also be a primary to determine the candidates for a special election in Ohio's 6th Congressional district.
Are you registered to vote?
According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, you must register or update your voter registration no later than 30 days prior to an election. Here are the upcoming voter registration deadlines:
- February 20, 2024 for the March 19, 2024 primary and special Congressional primary (6th Congressional District) election
- May 13, 2024 for the June 11, 2024 special congressional general (6th Congressional District) election
- July 8, 2024 for the August 6, 2024 special election (may be held)
- October 7, 2024 for the November 5, 2024 general election
*If you register or update your information after the deadline, the change will apply for the next election.*
Polling location info for in-person voting:
Your polling location varies depending on where you live, and it might not even be the closest station to you. Find your official polling location on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.
When are polls open?
Polling locations across Ohio are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you find yourself in a line at 7:30 p.m., you will be able to vote.
Do I need voter ID?
Yes. To get an absentee ballot or cast your vote in person, Ohio voters now must show a valid state or federally-issued photo ID to cast a ballot at the polls. This includes:
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- U.S. military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
All photo IDs must have the following:
- An expiration date that has not passed
- A photograph of the voter
- The voter’s name as it appears in the poll list or in the poll book
An unexpired Ohio driver's license, State ID card or interim documentation with a voter's former address is an acceptable form of ID if the voter's current address is listed in the poll book.
State-issued photo IDs are available for free at Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle offices under the most recent voter ID law.
If you do not bring an acceptable form of ID, or if your eligibility is in question because you moved or changed your name but didn't update your registration, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
Voting provisionally simply means that election officials need to double-check your eligibility. To do so, you must visit your county's board of elections within four days after Election Day to provide that identification, so your vote can be counted in the final election totals. Election officials are also required to attempt to contact voters by mail, phone or email to resolve any issues with their ballots.
Absentee voting
- Absentee Voting By Mail: Began February 21 and ended Monday, March 18.
- Absentee ballot applications must have been received by your county board of elections by 8:30 p.m. on March 12.
- Absentee ballots may be returned by mail or personally delivered to your county board of elections by March 19. If not returned by mail, absentee ballots must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m. when polls close.
- March 23 is the last day for county boards of elections to receive absentee ballots that have been postmarked on or before March 18.
- Visit the Ohio Secretary of State website for information on absentee ballots.
Military and overseas absentee voting
Military and overseas absentee voting began on February 2 and ended Monday, March 18.
The federal government and the State of Ohio permit the use of the FPCA by uniformed services voters and overseas voters. For your purpose, U.S. citizens who are active or reserve members of a uniformed service, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the merchant marines, and their eligible spouses and dependents may use this FPCA when their military service causes them to be absent from the Ohio residence where they are qualified to vote.
The Ohio Secretary of State has information on how to request a ballot as a member of the armed services or as an Ohioan living abroad.
Hospitalized voting
If you or your minor child is in the hospital on Election Day, you must submit a properly completed and signed request to the board of elections of the county in which your voting residence is located by 3 p.m. on Election Day.
To be eligible under this provision, you or your minor child must be confined in a hospital because of an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency. If you or your minor child is hospitalized in the same county where you are registered to vote, two representatives of the board of elections can deliver the ballot to you, wait while you mark the ballot and return your voted ballot to the board office.
Additionally, you may include in your absentee ballot application a request that your county board of elections gives your unmarked ballot to a designated relative who shall deliver the ballot to you in the hospital and return your voted ballot to the board office.
Visit the Secretary of State website to request a Hospitalized Absentee Ballot Request Form.
Voters With disabilities
Any Ohio voter with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act can request an absentee ballot to complete through the accessible absentee voting system.
Visit the Secretary of State website to request an Accessible Absentee Ballot.
Below are the elections voters will decide on during the primary:
Presidential
- Chris Christie (R) (Christie announced he was suspending his campaign on Jan. 10, 2024.)
- Ron DeSantis (R) (DeSantis announced he was suspending his campaign on Jan. 21, 2024.)
- Nikki R. Haley (R)
- Vivek Ramaswamy (R) (Ramaswamy announced he was suspending his campaign on Jan. 15, 2024.)
- Donald J. Trump (R)
- Joseph R. Biden (D)
- Dean Phillips (D)
U.S. Senate
- Matt Dolan (R)
- Frank LaRose (R)
- Bernie Moreno (R)
- Sherrod Brown (D)
Ohio Supreme Court
(Full term commencing 1/1/2025)
- Megan E. Shanahan (R)
- Michael P. Donnelly (D)
(Full term commencing 1/2/2025)
- Joseph T. Deters (R)
- Melody J. Stewart (D)
(Unexpired term ending 12/31/2026)
- Daniel R. Hawkins (R)
- Lisa Forbes (D)
- Terri Jamison (D)
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