Key dates

Oct. 7: Last day to register for election

Nov. 9: Mailed ballots must arrive in order to be counted

Absentee ballot applications for the upcoming election were recently mailed to the nearly 8 million registered voters in Ohio.

Those wanting to vote by mail have to fill out the absentee ballot application and mail it to their county board of elections to get an actual ballot.

“To accommodate for possible postal delays, we recommend that you return the absentee ballot request form to your county board of elections no later than Oct. 25,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose wrote in the letter that came with the ballot application.

Absentee ballot applications are due by Oct. 29, and ballots must be postmarked Nov. 4, the day before the election, and received by boards of elections no later than Nov. 9.

Mail-in voting — as well as early in-person voting — begins Oct. 8. Absentee ballots will start being mailed to those who request them on that day.

The absentee ballot application requires voters to provide either the last four digits of their Social Security number, driver’s license number or a copy of a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID card, passport or U.S. military ID card. It must also be signed.

The applications require the proper postage to be mailed or can be hand-delivered to a person’s county board of elections.

Absentee ballots can be tracked through voteohio.gov/track.

Under state law, the secretary of state’s office since 2012 has been required to mail absentee ballot applications to voters during even-year general elections.

LaRose reminds voters to “be vigilant when completing any forms that are not labeled official election mail.”

The state Legislature passed a law last year requiring that only state-issued ballot applications be accepted by mail and not permit them from third parties.

Those who don’t want to vote by mail or early in-person can go to their polling locations from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5.

“Whether you are voting absentee, early in-person or on Election Day, Ohioans should be confident in Ohio’s three convenient methods when they cast their ballot,” LaRose said.

LaRose offered advice for those seeking to vote by mail.

First, double-check the information on an application to ensure it’s filled out properly, including writing the appropriate date, providing your required identifying information and signing the form.

Also, LaRose recommends including your email address and / or telephone number. County boards of elections will call or email voters who may need to remedy information on their ballot request or absentee ballot envelope.

LaRose said voters should not procrastinate and should mail completed ballot requests and then ballots as soon as possible.

County election boards in Ohio will remain open late on Oct. 7, the day before early voting starts, to allow people who aren’t registered for the general election to do so.

The Trumbull office is at 2947 Youngstown Road SE, Warren.

The Mahoning office is at Oakhill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave., Youngstown.

To register in person, you need either your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

People can also register online at voteohio.gov, the Ohio secretary of state’s website, by Oct. 7.

The upcoming election ballot includes races for president, U.S. senator, three Ohio Supreme Court justices, U.S. House, state Legislature and numerous countywide positions. There’s also a statewide constitutional amendment regarding legislative and congressional redistricting and local tax issues on the ballot.

Have an interesting story? Contact David Skolnick by email at dskolnick@vindy.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.