Voter Hub
Ohio's 9th District · General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Everything you need to vote in Northwest Ohio this fall — dates, hours, what to bring, and where to go — checked against the Ohio Secretary of State.
Key dates
Mark your calendar
Deadlines in Ohio are strict. "Received by" means in the Board of Elections' hands by that time — a postmark doesn't count.
- Mon, Oct 5
Voter registration deadline. Not sure you're registered or at the right address? Check your registration. If you moved and missed this, you can still vote — see the questions below.
- Tue, Oct 6
Early in-person voting begins at your county Board of Elections, and mail ballots start going out.
- Sat, Oct 248 am – 4 pm early voting
Last day we recommend mailing a ballot back Our advice — the law says it must arrive by Nov 3, and mail can take a week or more. After this date, use the drop box or hand it in.
- Tue, Oct 27by 8:30 pm
Last day the Board of Elections can receive your mail-ballot application. Deadline Early voting is open until 8:30 pm this day.
- Sun, Nov 11 pm – 5 pm
Last day of early in-person voting. There is no in-person voting on Monday, Nov 2.
- Tue, Nov 36:30 am – 7:30 pm
Election Day. Vote at your assigned polling place. If you're in line by 7:30 pm, you can vote. Mail ballots must be received by your Board of Elections by 7:30 pm — drop box or office, never your polling place.
- Sat, Nov 7
Last day to fix ("cure") a ballot problem. If you voted provisionally without ID, or your mail ballot envelope was missing something, bring what's needed to your Board of Elections by this day.
Takes about 30 seconds
Make your plan to vote
People who decide how, when, and where they'll vote are far more likely to follow through. Pick your answers and we'll build your plan — with the right deadlines and a calendar reminder.
How will you vote?
When?
Weekday mornings are usually the quietest. The last week is the busiest.
You can still request a mail ballot, but it's getting tight. Fastest route: fill out the application online, print and sign it, and hand-deliver it to your Board of Elections. They must have it by 8:30 pm Tuesday, Oct 27, and then your ballot has to get back to them by 7:30 pm Nov 3. If that feels risky, voting early in person is the sure thing.
Lines are longest right at 6:30 am and after 5 pm. If you're in line by 7:30 pm, you can vote.
Where do you live?
This tool runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you choose here is saved or sent to anyone.
Step by step
Three ways to vote
Pick one. Every method ends the same way: your vote counts.
Early, in person Open nowOct 6 – Nov 1 at your county Board of Elections. No appointment, no excuse needed.
- Go to your county's early voting site. Each county has one — usually the Board of Elections office. Find yours below. (In Lucas County, use Entrance C at the back of 3737 W. Sylvania Ave.)
- Bring an unexpired photo ID — Ohio driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military/VA ID. Full list below.
- Vote. You'll fill out a short application, get your ballot, and cast it on the spot. Most people are in and out in 15 minutes.
Early voting hours (same in every Ohio county)
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tue, Oct 6 – Fri, Oct 9 | 8 am – 5 pm |
| Mon, Oct 12 – Fri, Oct 16 | 8 am – 5 pm |
| Mon, Oct 19 – Fri, Oct 23 | 8 am – 5 pm |
| Sat, Oct 24 | 8 am – 4 pm |
| Mon, Oct 26 | 7:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Tue, Oct 27 | 7:30 am – 8:30 pm |
| Wed, Oct 28 – Fri, Oct 30 | 7:30 am – 7:30 pm |
| Sat, Oct 31 | 8 am – 4 pm |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 1 pm – 5 pm |
| Mon, Nov 2 | No in-person voting |
Closed Saturdays and Sundays except Oct 24, Oct 31, and Nov 1. Source: Ohio Secretary of State 2026 voting schedule.
By mailYour ballot must arrive at the Board of Elections by 7:30 pm on Nov 3. Postmarks don't count.
Still need a ballot? Request it now
- Fill out the application at VoteOhio.gov, then print and sign it. (No printer? Call your Board of Elections and they'll mail you one.)
- Get it to your county Board of Elections — hand-deliver it or put it in their drop box. Mailing it this late is risky. They must receive it by 8:30 pm Tuesday, Oct 27.
- Watch the mail. Your ballot will come with instructions, an ID envelope, and a return envelope.
Have your ballot? Here's how to return it
- Fill it out with a blue or black pen. Follow the instructions — fill in the ovals completely.
- Put the ballot in the ID envelope and complete every line: print your name and address, give your Ohio driver's license/state ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number, and sign it. A missing signature or ID number is the #1 reason ballots get held up.
- Seal the ID envelope inside the return envelope.
- Return it one of three ways:
- Drop box at your county Board of Elections — available 24/7 until 7:30 pm on Election Day. Only you can put your own ballot in the drop box.
- Hand it in inside the Board of Elections office during business hours. A close family member (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, or in-law) can do this for you, but they must bring it inside and sign a short form — they can't use the drop box.
- Mail it with a stamp (postage is not prepaid). We recommend mailing no later than Saturday, Oct 24. It must arrive by 7:30 pm Nov 3 — a postmark does not count.
- Track it. Confirm your Board received it at VoteOhio.gov ballot tracking.
On Election DayTuesday, Nov 3 · 6:30 am – 7:30 pm · at your assigned polling place
- Look up your polling place at VoteOhio.gov or IWillVote.com/OH. On Election Day you must vote at your assigned precinct — it's often not the same place as early voting, and it may have changed since last time.
- Bring an unexpired photo ID. See what counts.
- Go any time between 6:30 am and 7:30 pm. If you're in line at 7:30, stay in line — you have the right to vote.
If something goes wrong
- Not in the poll book? Confirm you're at the right precinct. If you are, ask for a provisional ballot — you have the right to one.
- Forgot your ID? Vote provisionally, then show your ID at the Board of Elections by Saturday, Nov 7.
- Can't get into the building? Ask for curbside voting — two poll workers will bring a ballot to your car.
- Need help marking your ballot? You can bring a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep), or ask two poll workers to help.
Questions at the polls? Call
844-OHI-VOTE (844-644-8683) — Democratic voter hotline
866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) — nonpartisan Election Protection
Your county Board of Elections — numbers below
What to bring
Photo ID is required to vote in person
Ohio law requires an unexpired photo ID with your name and photo. The address on it doesn't have to match your registration.
Accepted
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form from the Ohio BMV
- U.S. passport or passport card
- U.S. military ID or military dependent ID
- Ohio National Guard ID
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID
Need an ID? Ohio state ID cards are free at any BMV.
Not accepted
- Any expired ID
- A driver's license from another state
- Ohio Mobile ID (the phone app)
- Utility bill, bank statement, paycheck
- Social Security card or birth certificate
- Student ID or county veteran ID
- Your voter registration card
No ID with you? You can still vote a provisional ballot — then show an accepted ID at your Board of Elections within 4 days (by Sat, Nov 7) and it counts. Voting by mail? You give your ID number or last four of your SSN on the envelope instead.
Where to go
Your county Board of Elections
This is where you vote early, drop off a mail ballot, request an application, or fix a ballot problem. Each county has one early voting site.
Show all ten counties
Live outside these counties? Find your Board of Elections in the statewide directory. Not sure which congressional district you're in after redistricting? Look it up by address.
Common questions
Your situation, answered
I moved within Ohio and didn't update my address by Oct 5. Can I still vote?
Yes. Go to your new county's Board of Elections during early voting (or on Election Day) and vote a provisional ballot for your new address. It's counted once they verify your eligibility. Bring your ID. If you moved within the same county, you can also update your address at the Board and vote there.
Something's wrong at my polling place. What are my rights?
- My name isn't in the poll book. First make sure you're at the right precinct (poll workers can check). If you are, ask for a provisional ballot — you have the right to one, and it's counted once the Board confirms your registration.
- I forgot my ID. Vote a provisional ballot, then show an accepted photo ID at your county Board of Elections by Saturday, Nov 7 and it counts.
- I can't get into the building. Ask for curbside voting — send someone in to tell a poll worker, and two officials will bring a ballot to your car. This works during early voting too.
- I need help marking my ballot. You can bring a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep), or ask two poll workers from different parties to help.
- I'm in line at 7:30 pm. Stay in line. Anyone in line when polls close gets to vote.
- Someone is turning people away, challenging voters, or making people uncomfortable. Don't leave. Call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline, or 844-OHI-VOTE (844-644-8683). Your county Board of Elections can also send help.
My name changed (marriage, divorce). Will my ID match?
If your address is the same, bring proof of the name change (marriage license or court order) and you'll sign a short form and vote a regular ballot. Without proof, you'll vote provisionally. Either way, you can vote.
I have a felony conviction. Can I vote?
In Ohio, yes — unless you are currently incarcerated for a felony. If you're on probation, parole, or community control, or have finished your sentence, you can vote. If your registration was cancelled while you were incarcerated, you'd need to re-register before the next election's deadline.
I'm a college student. Where do I vote?
Wherever you're registered. If you're registered at your campus address in Ohio, vote there. If you're registered at home, vote early in person in your home county, request a mail ballot from your home county Board of Elections (by Oct 27), or go home on Election Day. You can't be registered in two places.
I requested a mail ballot but now want to vote in person.
During early voting, go to your county Board of Elections and bring the mail ballot if you have it — they can help you vote in person. On Election Day you'd have to vote a provisional ballot. Honestly, the easiest thing is to vote your mail ballot and drop it in the Board's drop box.
I have a disability or I'm homebound. What are my options?
Every polling place and early voting site is accessible and has accessible voting machines. You can vote curbside from your car. If you can't travel at all, call your Board of Elections — they can send two election officials to deliver and return your ballot, or set you up with an accessible absentee ballot you mark at home.
I was told my ballot has a problem. What now?
You have until Saturday, Nov 7 to fix it. For a provisional ballot cast without ID, bring an accepted photo ID to your county Board of Elections. For a mail ballot with a missing signature or ID number, the Board will send you a form (11-S) to complete. Call them if you're unsure. After Election Day you can check whether your provisional ballot counted at 866-OHIO-VOTE (866-644-6868).
How do I know my vote will count?
Ohio elections are run county by county by bipartisan Boards of Elections, with paper ballots and post-election audits. You can confirm your mail ballot was received at VoteOhio.gov. If you ever have a question about your ballot, your county Board of Elections is the best place to call — numbers above.
Need a hand?
Questions? Call someone who can help.
Voter hotline
844-OHI-VOTE844-644-8683. Run by the Democratic Party's IWillVote program. Registration, polling places, problems at the polls.
Ohio Secretary of State
877-SOS-OHIO877-767-6446. The official source for Ohio election rules. Or visit VoteOhio.gov.
Election Protection (nonpartisan)
866-OUR-VOTE866-687-8683. Trained volunteers and lawyers if you're turned away, intimidated, or something seems wrong.
