Register to Vote
Am I eligible to vote?
To register to vote, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be 18 years old on or before Election Day
- Be a resident of Ohio at least 30 days immediately before Election Day
- Not be incarcerated (in jail or in prison) for a felony conviction
- Not be found incompetent by a court for voting purposes
- Must not have been permanently disenfranchised for violating election laws
How do I register to vote?
Find out if you’re registered to vote at your current address at this link. There are several ways you can register to vote or update your address:
BY MAIL
To register by mail, print this application, complete, sign and mail it to your county Board of Elections office. The mailing address for your Board of Elections office can be found here.
ONLINE
To register online, click here or visit https://olvr.ohiosos.gov at least 30 days prior to the next election.
Note: Only voters with an Ohio driver’s license number or an Ohio identification card number can complete voter registration online.
IN PERSON
To register in person, find your county Board of Elections office and stop in during business hours to complete a voter registration form.
Do I need photo identification to register to vote?
No. If you register to vote by mail or in person, you can provide your Ohio driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number as identification. If you do not have or cannot provide a driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number, you can include a copy of another form of identification and write “none” in the space provided on the voter registration form.
Other forms of identification that you can provide include the following:
- Current and valid photo identification,
- Military identification, or
- Any of the following containing your name and current address (within the last 12 months):
- Utility bill,
- Bank statement,
- Government check,
- Paycheck, or
- Government document (other than a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections)
I just moved to Ohio, can I vote in the upcoming election?
Yes, you may vote in the upcoming election if you are a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election. Your residence is where you live and is the place you intend to return whenever you are away.
I’m a college student. Can I register to vote from my school address?
Yes. College students may vote using their Ohio school residence address like a dorm, house, or apartment.
I’ve been convicted of a crime. Can I register to vote?
The only time you cannot register and vote is when you are serving a sentence in jail or prison for a felony conviction.
You can register to vote and vote:
- If you are convicted of or incarcerated for a misdemeanor;
- If you are in jail but have not been convicted yet;
- If you are on probation or parole following your felony conviction but are not in jail or prison; or
- If you served your sentence and are no longer in jail or prison.
Can I register to vote if I’m an American citizen living overseas?
Yes. Go to https://www.fvap.gov/ for information on requesting an absentee ballot if you’re a U.S. citizen living out of the county.
Can I register to vote if I’m homeless?
If you don’t have a home, you can register to vote using a shelter or any other place where you usually stay as your address, and it is a place where you intend to return.