With Ohio’s voter registration deadline just a few days away, you might think you’re all set for the Nov. 5 general election – or you might wonder, “Why bother?” It doesn’t matter if you’re red, blue or third party: Your vote does indeed matter and does indeed count.
Let’s break down the numbers in the 2020 presidential election to understand the real impact of your vote:
According to the U.S. Census, Ohio’s population in 2020 was 11.69 million. Out of that 11.69 million, a little over 8 million residents were registered to vote. Out of those 8 million residents, only 5.9 million voted in the 2020 presidential election. That’s a difference of 3.6 million.
There were 17,180 registered voters in Fayette County with 12,704 of those registered voters casting a vote, according to the Fayette County Board of Elections — a difference of 4,476.
To ensure your voice is heard on Election Day, register to vote if you still need to or check your registration if you’re already registered.
Ohio’s voter registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 7
Ohio doesn’t offer same-day voter registration, so it’s important to register before the deadline.
To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by the day of the general election, a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election, and registered to vote at least 30 days prior.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, you are not eligible to vote if you are serving time in prison or jail for a felony under state or federal laws, have been declared incompetent to vote, or have permanently lost your voting rights due to election law violations.
If you will be 18 on or before the election on Nov. 5, you can pre-register to vote, allowing you to complete the registration process early so you’re automatically added to the voter list when you turn 18.
Military members on active duty are exempt from the registration requirement, as are their spouses and dependents who move out of state with them.
How to register to vote
The easiest and quickest way to register to vote is online through Ohio’s Online Voter Registration System at olvr.ohiosos.gov. You must provide your name, date of birth, address, Ohio driver’s license or Ohio identification card number, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you don’t have access to a computer, you can register in person at:
– Any county board of elections, including the Fayette County Board of Elections, 135 S. Main St., Washington Court House, between 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday, with extended hours to 9 p.m. on Oct. 7.
– Any Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) office, including the Washington Court House BMV, 105 E. East St., between 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.
– Any county treasurer’s office, including the Fayette County Treasurer’s office, 133 S. Main St., Suite 304, between 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday.
– Any state agency that provides public assistance or disability programs, including Fayette County Job and Family Services, 133 S. Main St., Washington Court House, between 8-11:30 a.m. and 12-4 p.m., Monday-Thursday.
– Any public library, including the Carnegie Public Library, 127 S. North St., Washington Court House, between 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Folks are encouraged to register online and Carnegie Library can provide them with computer access and guidance.
To register to vote by mail, download and fill out a National Mail Voter Registration Form from the Ohio Secretary of State. You can also request a form be mailed to you by the county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office. Once you’ve filled out the registration form, you or someone acting on your behalf can return it to either the county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office.
The postmark must be at least 30 days before the election for the registration form to be accepted.
You can also submit the form in person: Make sure you deliver it to a board of elections, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, any Ohio BMV office, a public high school or vocational school, any public library branch, or other designated agencies by Oct. 7 for it to be considered valid.
You will receive notification via USPS mail from your county’s board of elections if your voter registration was accepted or rejected.
How to update your voter registration
Have you recently moved to Fayette County? Are you a Fayette County resident who moved to a new home, either within the county or elsewhere in Ohio? Did you legally change your name? Life changes such as these require you to update your voter registration at ohiosos.gov/elections/voters.
Keeping your information current ensures you’re voting on the candidates and issues that matter where you live. It also determines your precinct and polling place for Election Day. If you show up at the wrong polling place, your vote won’t be counted – even if you cast a provisional ballot. Sometimes, polling locations can change. When that happens, your county board of elections will notify you by mail with the updated information.
If you choose to vote by absentee ballot, make sure your voter registration is updated before requesting it. Doing so ensures the ballot matches your current address and voting district, preventing any delays in receiving it.
How to check your voter registration
You vote … sometimes. Maybe you’ve skipped a few elections, like a couple of midterms or even a presidential race, when the candidates didn’t quite inspire you. It happens. But did you know that Ohio recently purged its voter rolls? In June, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose published a list of 158,857 inactive voter registrations. After a review by county board of elections, 154,995 inactive voter registrations were removed from the state’s rolls by July 22, either because voters had moved or hadn’t voted or participated in other voter activities, like signing a petition, for over four years.
According to the Secretary of State, the purge was conducted under state and federal law as part of Ohio’s annual voter registration list maintenance. County board of elections had sent notices to those voters at risk of being affected. The adage “better be safe than sorry” holds true here: Check your voter registration status at ohiosos.gov/elections/voters. You can always re-register if you discover that your voter registration has been canceled.
The deadline to register to vote in Ohio is Oct. 7. Early voting in Ohio begins on Oct. 8 and continues through Nov. 3 at the Fayette County Board of Elections, 135 S. Main St., Washington Court House. For early voting hours, visit boe.ohio.gov/fayette/election-info/early-voting-hours/
