FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 20, 2012
Election Advisory from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted
Boards of Elections Ready Military and Overseas Ballots for March 6 Primary Election
Secretary Husted outlines key dates and deadlines for upcoming Primary Election
Military and Overseas Absentee Voting
By tomorrow, January 21, 2012 (45 days prior to the election), Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections are required to have ballots prepared for all military and overseas voters who have requested an absentee ballot for the March 6 Primary Election. This is mandated by the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act and recently passed state legislation – House Bill 48 (128th GA) and House Bill 224 (129th GA).
Absentee Voting By Mail
Absentee ballots for the rest of Ohio’s voting population will be available starting on January 31, 2012, though all eligible voters may submit their requests for absentee ballots to their county boards of elections any time between now and noon on March 3, 2012, to vote by mail in this election.
In-Person Absentee Voting
The in-person absentee voting period also begins on January 31, 2012, and runs through 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2012. Locations and regular business hours for in-person absentee voting vary from county to county and voters are encouraged to check with their county boards of elections for more specific details.
Voter Registration Deadline
The deadline to register to vote for the March 6 Primary Election is February 6, 2012. It is important to note that the voter registration form also serves as the change of name or address form and all Ohio voters who have moved or changed their name since the last election, should update their registrations by February 6, so that boards of elections have time to update the voter rolls before Election Day. This helps to ensure these voters can vote a regular, rather than a provisional ballot.
Voting Information and Resources
To register to vote, update voting information, request an absentee ballot, find contact information for Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections or to obtain more general information about the March 6 Primary Election and how to participate, all Ohioans are encouraged to visit www.MyOhioVote.com.
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For more information, please contact Matt McClellan at 614-995-2168 or mmcclellan@ohiosecretaryofstate.gov.