Eligible U.S. citizens around the country will head to the polls Nov. 5 for the 2024 general election. In Ohio, constituents will vote not only for the president and vice president of the United States but also for seats in the senate, state supreme court and local government. 

For CSU students, living on or off campus will dictate where you vote. Poll locations are dictated by where you are registered to vote, your permanent residence.

For many students living in campus housing, absentee voting is one choice if you don't have the option of voting at the polling station attached to your registered address on the day. You can also vote in your hometown election by taking part in early in-person voting. In this case a voter may vote at their home county board of elections from 28 days before the election until Nov. 3, if they won’t be home on election day.

It is possible to vote from a campus address, but to do so you must review residency requirements and contact your county board of elections to discuss your specific circumstances. You can read more information about college voters here.

Voter Registration

In Ohio, the deadline to register to vote in the 2024 general election is Monday, Oct. 7. There are many ways to register or update your information or address. A convenient and secure way is through the Ohio Secretary of State website. The six-step process only takes minutes.

To register online you will need:

• Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number
• Name
• Date of Birth
• Address
• Last four digits of your Social Security number

You can also use this website to confirm your registration status. Once confirmed, you can navigate to your voter profile. This page includes your polling location, precinct, and congressional, senate and state representative districts. 

What’s on the ballot?

Sample ballots are available no later than thirty days before the election. These ballots show the issues and candidates you will be able to vote for on election day. You can view your sample ballot here. 

Absentee Voting

To acquire an absentee ballot, voters must request one. Through the Secretary of State website, you can either print out an absentee ballot application online and then mail it to your county board of elections, or directly call your county board of elections and they will mail one to you. 

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is seven days before the election. Once received, if you mail in your ballot it must be postmarked by the day before the election or it will not be counted. You or a near relative can also hand in your ballot in person at your county board of elections. 

Early in-person voting

Voters in Ohio can vote early by heading to their county board of elections Oct. 8 through Nov. 3. The Secretary of State website provides a map where voters can find the address of their county board of elections and hours for early voting. 

Voting in person on Nov. 5 

Polls in Ohio are open on election day from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. You can find your polling location through your county board of elections or the Secretary of State website. 

Voters must provide one acceptable form of identification. Forms of valid identification include:

• Ohio driver's license
• State of Ohio ID card
• Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
• A US passport
• A US passport card
• US military ID card
• Ohio National Guard ID card
• US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

Identification must include a photo of the voter, an expiration date that has not passed and the voter's name must match how it appears in the poll list. 

Unacceptable forms of ID include:

• Driver’s license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio
• Social Security card
• Birth certificate
• Insurance card
• Utility bill
• Bank statement
• Government check
• Paycheck
• Other government document
• Any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections

If you do not provide one of the above forms of photo ID, you will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot. However, for that ballot to be counted, you must return to the board of elections no later than four days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification. If you do not have a photo ID because of a religious objection to being photographed, you may complete an affidavit of religious objection and have your provisional ballot count.

Voting if you are in hospital Nov. 5

If you or your minor child are hospitalized on election day, there are options for you. In this situation, you would have to complete and sign a request to your county board of elections by 3 p.m. on election day. To be eligible for this, you or your minor child must be confined in the hospital for an unforeseeable medical emergency. 

If you or your minor child are hospitalized in your county of residence, you can even request that two representatives from your county board of elections personally deliver the ballot to you or a near relative. The county representatives or near relative will have to then return the ballot to the board of elections. 

Voters with Disabilities

Voters who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act are eligible to allow a qualifying voter to mark their ballot privately and independently through a remote ballot marking system. 

These voters must request an absentee ballot and request to use the remote ballot marking system. This can also be done through the Secretary of State website. 

Counting the vote

Votes will begin being counted in Ohio after the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5.