Ohio's Nov. 3 election

Key dates

• Fri, Sep 18Absentee voting opens for military and overseas voters
• Mon, Oct 5Registration deadline (passed)
• Tue, Oct 6Early in-person and mail voting begin
• Sat, Oct 24Early voting open 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Mon, Oct 26Final week of early voting: 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. through Oct. 30
• Tue, Oct 27Absentee ballot requests due by 8:30 p.m.; early voting open until 8:30 p.m.
• Sat, Oct 31Early voting open 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Sun, Nov 1Last day of early voting, 1–5 p.m.
• Tue, Nov 3Election Day: polls open 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; mailed ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m.
• Sat, Nov 7Military and overseas ballots must arrive

How to vote

1. Check your registration and find your polling placeUse VoteOhio.gov. The deadline to register for this election passed Oct. 5. Details
2. Vote early in personAt your county board of elections: weekdays 8 a.m.–5 p.m. through Oct. 23, longer hours the final week, plus two Saturdays and a Sunday. Details
3. Vote by mailYour request must reach your county board by 8:30 p.m. Oct. 27. The completed ballot must arrive by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Details
4. Track your ballotCheck status at VoteOhio.gov/Track. Details
5. Bring photo IDState law has required photo ID to vote in person since 2023. Issue 3 would add the rule to the constitution. Details

State Issue 3

Latest public poll

Poll release (PDF) · Our story

Local issues we're following

• Columbus Issues 8 and 9Competing charter amendments: district-only council elections (8) or a 13-member council with four citywide seats (9).
• Cincinnati Public Schools levyA 7-mill operating levy that would raise about $66.3 million a year.
• Pickerington SchoolsA 0.75% income tax levy, after a 1.25% levy failed in May.
• Ashville data center referendumWhether to repeal the village's preliminary agreement with EdgeConneX for two data centers and a natural gas plant.
• Data center measures in 18 jurisdictionsBans, charter amendments, zoning rules and referendums across Ohio, per Ballotpedia.

Official tools

• VoteOhio.gov: registration, polling places and sample ballots
• Early voting schedule
• Franklin County Board of Elections
• Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
• Issue 3 ballot language and arguments

Election stories →

• Early voting tops 170,000 ballots as Ohio's top races stay close

  County boards are open weekdays through Oct. 23, with longer hours the final week. Requests to vote by mail are due Oct. 27.

  October 13, 2026

• Obama will rally with Brown and Acton in Cleveland on Oct. 24

  It will be the former president's first Ohio campaign stop since 2018. Trump and Vance have made three trips for Sen. Jon Husted this month.

  October 13, 2026

• Cincinnati Public Schools asks voters for a 7-mill operating levy

  The levy would raise about $66.3 million a year. The district has town halls Oct. 13 and Oct. 20.

  October 12, 2026

• Acton and Ramaswamy close on costs: taxes, gas and data centers

  With early voting underway, both candidates for governor are making pocketbook pitches in the race to succeed Mike DeWine.

  October 7, 2026

• Issue 3 would put Ohio's photo ID rule in the state constitution

  Photo ID has been required by state law since 2023. The amendment would also cover mail voters unless lawmakers allow a signature plus another identifier.

  October 7, 2026

• Ohio has more than half of the nation's local data center ballot measures

  Ballotpedia counts 21 Ohio measures in 18 communities this year, from outright bans to a vote-first rule in Grove City.

  October 5, 2026