Voters head to the polls Tuesday in an off-year election. In Ohio, local offices and issues dominate the slates. Hamilton County Board of Elections Director Sherry Poland says for the 30% of registered voters expected to cast a ballot, there have been some changes since the last election.
How To Find Your Polling Place
"Over the summer months, the Board of Elections did have to move a few polling locations throughout the county for various reasons," she says. "Our website's been updated with that information for months, and we have mailed notices in the form of a postcard to every voter affected. But we do encourage voters to confirm their polling locations before Election Day."
Poland says you can call the Board of Elections or visit the website.
New Voting Equipment
Hamilton County's new voting equipment will be put to the test Tuesday. Poland says the equipment has been used in a couple of smaller elections already and did fine. "I don't believe voters are going to notice much of a difference," she says. "They're still going to fill in the box on a paper ballot and scan the ballot through a ballot scanner. But the equipment and the technology behind the equipment is up to today's latest standards."
Poland says the new equipment does make it easier for those with disabilities to vote without assistance.
Make Sure You Are Registered To Vote
Earlier this year, the Ohio Secretary of State's office ordered local election officials to clean up voting rolls. As many as 200,000 people, thought to be either duplicates or deceased, were removed in what some called a purge. In Hamilton County, nearly 3,000 people were taken off the list, according to Poland.
"Those voters all received a last-chance notice. So if the voter was still living in Hamilton County and wanted to remain registered, they were provided a notice and could remain on the rolls by simply completing that form or updating their address online," she says.
Poland wasn't sure how many people asked to be kept on the rolls. She says Hamilton County has more than 575,000 registered voters. Check to see if you are registered to vote by entering your name and address here. Not registered? Do so now.
What's On The Ballot
Voters will choose board members for Cincinnati Public Schools as well as municipal court judges. There are also several levies, including one on public transportation and another on renewing a 10-year tax levy for CPS. You can view a full sample ballot for Hamilton County here.
When Are Polls Open?
Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. in Ohio. In Kentucky and Indiana, they're open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
