If you need to register to vote, you can do so this week/weekend at Sundry and Vice in Over-the-Rhine. The bar will be acting as a hub where Ohio residents can either register to vote or update their address at these times:
- 1-6 p.m. Thursday, June 4
- 1-6 p.m. Friday, June 5
- 1-6 p.m. Saturday, June 6
- 1-6 p.m. Sunday, June 7
"It's the most effective way to effectuate any sort of change. It's really that simple. Peaceful, civil protests are certainly effective, but it hardly matters if people don't get themselves to the voting booth," says Stuart King, owner and founder of Sundry and Vice (and Circle Hospitality Group, which also oversees Comfort Station in Walnut Hills). "We have a lot of young people that are going to be in the area, in Over-the-Rhine, and to give them an opportunity not only to register to vote, but to amend their address is super important among a generally younger crowd, which is more mobile and moves around a lot more.
"I don't know how many people know you can use the exact same form to do both. And if you have the wrong address on form with the State of Ohio, then when you show up to vote, they won't count your vote. So it's really important that everybody has all of their records updated."
King says the Hamilton County Board of Elections was "amazing" and quickly provided the bar with 300 registration forms.
At this point, the plan is to devote Sundry and Vice entirely to voting registration for this weekend.
"We're all kind of in agreement that the most effective use of our space is to do something productive," King says. "And at this point with everything that's going on in our community and nationwide, serving drinks — we don't know that that's the most productive and we're feeling that that's not the most productive use of our location right now."
The bar will serve drinks again in the future.
To vote in Ohio, the Hamilton County Board of Elections says you must be:
- A citizen of the United States
- At least 18 years old on or before the next general election
- A resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote
- You are not incarcerated for a felony conviction in Ohio, another state on the U.S.
- You have not been declared incompetent for the purposes of voting by a probate court
- And you have not been permanently disenfranchised for violating the election laws
And to register by mail, you must have or know the numbers from these forms:
If you have a current valid Ohio driver license or Ohio Identification card, you must provide that number (# contains two letters and six digits).
If you do not have either of those identification numbers, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you do not provide one of the above you must enclose with your Registration Form a copy of one of the following forms of identification:
- Current valid photo identification issued by the State of Ohio or Federal Government
- Military Identification
- Any of the following (dated within last 12 months) documents that shows your name and current address: Utility bill (includes gas, electric, phone, cell phone, water), Bank statement, Government check, PaycheckGovernment or School document (other than notice of voter registration mailed by Board of Elections)
Note: A copy of one of above is necessary ONLY if you do not provide your Ohio Driver License Number, Ohio State Identification Number, or last 4 digits of Social Security Number on your Registration/Update Form.
You can mail in your registration yourself. Sundry and Vice will also be taking all the updated and completed forms directly to the Hamilton County Board of Elections in Norwood on Monday, June 8.
The bar does say those voting registration hours may be updated in accordance with any curfew changes, so check facebook.com/sundryandvice.
Sundry and Vice, 18 W. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine.
