Registered voters to receive absentee ballot request application by mail

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 8, 2022

COLUMBUS – Ohio Sec. of State Frank LaRose announced on Wednesday that every registered Ohio voter will soon be receiving an absentee ballot request form.

Funding for the mailing must be approved by the Ohio General Assembly, which granted the appropriation earlier this year.

The mailing of absentee voter applications, not absentee ballots, to all registered voters during gubernatorial and presidential election cycles has been standard practice for more than a decade. In all, nearly 8 million registered Ohio voters will receive the absentee voter application.

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LaRose’s office said unlike other states that send a ballot to every voter, even if they did not request one, Ohio requires a voter to prove their identity when they request a ballot and again when they return that ballot.

Ohioans who choose to vote by absentee ballot must return their request form to their county board of elections to receive the absentee ballot for the Nov. 8 general election. In the absentee ballot request instructions, LaRose recommends voters submit their request as quickly as possible to ensure the U.S. Postal Service has adequate time to process their absentee voting request.

“Ohioans are blessed to have three convenient and secure options to choose from when they cast their ballot in the November general election,” LaRose said. “If you’re voting by mail, you have the added convenience of sitting at the kitchen table, researching the candidates and making a well-informed decision. The best part? Voters can have confidence that Ohio’s long and proven track record of running a secure absentee ballot system will protect the integrity of their vote.”

By getting their ballot request forms in early, LaRose’s office said voters will ease the burden on the county boards of elections staff who are expecting a significant influx of election mail, as well as the postal workers in their communities who are working to ensure that absentee ballots are delivered on time.

The first round of the mailing includes all voters currently registered in the state of Ohio. An additional round consists of Ohioans who are not currently registered to vote, but who do so prior to the Oct. 11 registration deadline.