Government & Politics

A voter guide to Ohio's March 19 primary election

Ideastream Public Media | By Annie Wu

Published February 20, 2024 at 1:30 PM EST

Updated March 18, 2024 at 10:24 PM EDT

Two "Ohio voted" stickers on a case containing a ballot reading machine. — Voting stickers are seen at the Summit County Board of Elections Early Vote Center in Downtown Akron on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.

This voter guide can help you to navigate the March 19, 2024, primary election. Click on any item below to find what you're looking for:

Am I registered to vote?

The deadline to register to vote, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, has passed

Check here to see if you are registered.

If you register or update your information after the deadline, the change will apply for the next election.

Returning your vote-by-mail ballot

Deadline to mail your ballot: must be postmarked by Monday, March 18 and received by your county board of elections by Saturday, March 23, 2024.
Deadline to deposit your ballot at a drop box: March 19 at 7:30 p.m. Each county has one ballot drop box located at the county board of elections office.

Voters must return their absentee ballots to the board of elections in the county in which they are registered.

Track the status of your absentee ballot by choosing your county from this map.

If you believe your ballot may have been lost in the mail, contact your county board of elections. The board can mark an already-mailed absentee ballot as void and send a new one.

Do I need an ID to vote?

A photo ID is required for in-person voting. Check the entire list of acceptable IDs.

If you do not bring an acceptable form of ID, or if your eligibility is in question because you moved or changed your name but didn't update your registration, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.

Voting provisionally means election officials need to double check your eligibility. To do so, you must visit your county's board of elections by Saturday, March 23 at 5 p.m. to provide identification so your vote can be counted in the final election totals.

Options for voters with disabilities

Any Ohio voter with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act can request an absentee ballot to complete through the accessible absentee voting system.

For in-person voting, all polling places must have at least one accessible voting machine available for people with disabilities, such as visually impaired voters, according to federal law.

Voters who would rather not use the machine can also bring a friend or family member with them to read the ballot or request assistance from a bipartisan team of poll workers.

Ohio's Safe at Home program

People who have survived domestic violence, sexual battery, human trafficking, rape or stalking can hide their voter registration address from the public.

Under the Safe at Home program, the Ohio Secretary of State will assign them a substitute address for public records, forward their mail, and provide a confidential voter registration form to ensure their information does not show up on public voter registration lists.

Voting from the hospital

If you or your minor child are in the hospital on Election Day, you can still vote.

Submit this request form to the board of elections of the county where you live by 3 p.m. on Election Day.

Two representatives of the board of elections may deliver the ballot to you, wait while you mark the ballot and return your completed ballot to the board office.