Ohio Ballot: 88 boards of elections ready for 6:30 a.m. start

Ohio polls open at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the general election. The state will count votes for the U.S. Senate seat, the governorship, and statewide offices including the secretary of state and attorney general. Local ballots in Cuyahoga County include two levies for the Board of Developmental Disabilities and Health and Human Services. Voters will also choose members for the Cuyahoga County Council and fill open judicial seats.

The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a high of 75 degrees. Polls close at 7:30 p.m. Anyone in line at that hour may cast a ballot. Early in-person voting at the board of election has ended. All remaining voters must use their assigned polling place today. Several locations have shifted, so residents should verify their specific site before traveling.

Voters must present a photo ID to cast a ballot. Acceptable documents include an unexpired Ohio driver’s license or state ID card. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles interim ID form, U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, and U.S. military ID card also qualify. An Ohio National Guard ID card and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card are permitted. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles issues Ohio identification cards for free at deputy registrar license agencies.

The registration deadline for today’s election has passed. Voters can confirm their status on the Secretary of State’s website. If a poll worker questions a voter’s eligibility, the individual may cast a provisional ballot. This procedure applies if the name is missing from the poll book, the signature does not match records, or the voter requests an absentee ballot before voting in person. Provisional ballots are set aside until eligibility is confirmed.

Residents can find their assigned location via the board of elections website. The contact number for Cuyahoga County is 216-443-8683, where callers should select #2. The Secretary of State’s site lists contact information for all 88 boards of elections in Ohio. Complete results will be available on the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website and the Ohio Secretary of State’s page after polls close.

Voters who use a provisional ballot can call 866-644-6868 after the election to determine if their vote was counted. The board will release results as vote counts become available. The election covers the U.S. House seat for the voter’s district and Ohio legislative seats. A sample ballot for each district is available online to help voters review the choices before entering the polling place.