Sept. 22 is National Voter Registration Day, which means today is as good a time as any to check to see if you are:
- Registered to vote
- Your registration is up to date
But, you ask, how does one do that?
The answer is simple! All you need to do is go to this link olvr.ohiosos.gov. This Ohio online voter registration system allows you to both register to vote and update your registration address.
Just watch this video for a how to:
The deadline to register or update your info is Oct. 5 and in-person early voting starts Oct. 6. Election Day is Nov. 3.
If you want a handy guide to see all of your voting options in Ohio and how to use them, we made one at citybeat.com. Learn how to vote in-person — early and on Election Day in November — or by mail.
If you are voting by mail, make sure you have a plan to get your ballot sent off to the board of elections or drop it directly in the ballot mailbox at your BOE (in Hamilton County, that's at 4700 Smith Road, Norwood).
Secretary of State Frank LaRose says: "The deadline to request an absentee ballot is three days before the election in which you want to vote, but voters can submit their application any time. If mailed, absentee ballots must be postmarked by the day before the election in order to be counted. You can also return your absentee ballot in-person to your county board of elections before the close of the polls at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day."
But, please note, that since Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was appointed to the United States Post Office, The Guardian has found a drastic decrease in on-time delivery rates; they fell this summer from roughly 91% — when DeJoy took over — to an all-time low of 69.7% for first-class mail.
USPS has said, however, that on-time rates are on the rise once again in September, and that's certainly the case in the Ohio Valley (back up to 85% for first-class mail), according to the Guardian's data. But the advertised 1-3 day delivery time for first-class mail is becoming less and less of a guarantee.
