Voting in Portage County: How and when to vote absentee

Ahead of Nov. 8’s midterm election, voters are presented with an abundance of choices — not just when it comes to candidates and issues, but methods of voting, too.

In Portage County, voters are able to cast their ballots in one of three ways: in-person voting on election day, mail-in voting ahead of time or early, in-person voting prior to election day.

For voters looking who are unable to vote on election day itself, methods of early voting provide ways to still participate in the democratic process.

Mail-in absentee voting

In order for Ohio residents to cast their ballot by mail, they must take part in a short application process. 

In order to request a mail-in ballot, voters must fill out an absentee ballot request form. They can fill out the required fields listed here and click “Download and Print” to receive a typed form. 

Or, voters can print and fill out a blank absentee ballot request form (or, for Spanish-speaking residents, request the form here).

Portage County voters can also request an absentee ballot in person at the Portage County Board of Elections dropbox located at 449 S. Meridian St., or they can call the board of elections at 330-297-3511.

Absentee ballot request forms ask voters for the following information: 

• Full name
• Contact information, including email address and phone number
• Date of birth
• Address at which they are registered to vote
• Mailing address, if different from registration address
• Verification of identity, including one of the following: last four digits of Social Security number, Ohio driver license number or a copy of current and valid identification
• Election information (for the Nov. 8 election, check the box labeled “November General Election”
• Signature and date

Once printed and filled out completely with all the necessary information, Portage County voters must mail their ballot request forms to the Portage County Board of Elections. 

All requests must be received by 12 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 5. It is recommended that all requests be mailed no later than Nov. 1 in order to ensure they are received in time. 

Non-Portage County residents can check their county’s board of elections mailing address using Ohio’s board of elections directory.

Once voters receive and fill out their ballots, they must mail them to their county’s board of elections by Nov. 7, or they can bring them directly in-person by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 at the latest.

After submitting their ballot request or ballot itself, voters can track their request or ballot here.

Early, in-person voting

Voters who wish to vote in-person but are unable to vote on election day can vote using early, in-person voting.

In Portage County, voters can vote in-person at the Portage County Board of Elections (449 S. Meridian St.) at the following dates and times:

• Oct. 24 to Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Nov. 6 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Nov. 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Non-Portage County residents can access a list of their county’s early, in-person voting dates and times here.

Voters who cast their ballot in-person must present a current and valid form of identification. These can include:

• Photo ID
• Military ID
• Utility bill
• Bank statement
• Government check
• Paycheck
• Government document

Identification must include proof of name and address.

As of Oct. 21, the office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose reported that 871,041 Ohioans have requested absentee ballots and 50,368 Ohioans have cast their ballots via early, in-person voting. These numbers amount to more than 921,000 early or mail-in ballot requests or votes so far — a 0.4% increase compared to the previous midterm election in 2018. 

Ohio historically plays a significant role in elections, being known as a “battleground state.” According to LaRose’s office, Ohio’s early-voting period is 21% longer than other states on average.

“While not a significant increase over the same point in the 2018 election, Ohioans are showing confidence in Ohio’s abundant early voting opportunities,” LaRose said in a press release. “Our bipartisan boards of elections have done an incredible job making their early voting centers ready, and lines are short for anyone who wants to make sure their voice is heard.”

According to Deputy Director of the Portage County Board of Elections, Theresa Nielsen, more than 16,000 Portage County residents have requested or cast their ballots as of Oct. 27. On the board’s website, absentee ballot and request information is readily available and updated daily.

“A lot of people just want to get it [voting] out of the way,” Nielsen said. “It’s generally a convenience issue, I think. Lots of people like to have their ballots mailed to them, because they can sit at their kitchen table, and they can investigate the candidates as they’re filling out their ballot.”

She said the board encourages people to vote absentee.

“There are fewer people that are going to the polls, so the lines are shorter,” Nielsen said. “There are lots of different reasons we encourage people to vote absentee.”

Voters can view a complete calendar with voting dates and deadlines here.