Election 2024

A step-by-step guide to registering to vote in Ohio for the 2024 election

With the 2024 presidential election fast approaching, ensuring that you're registered to vote is crucial—especially if you're a first-time voter or a college student. Ohio residents have several ways to register, but it’s important to be aware of the deadlines and required steps to make sure your voice is heard on Election Day. Here’s a simple guide to help you through the process. 1\. Eligibility Requirements To register to vote in Ohio, you must meet the following criteria: - Be a U.S. citizen. - Be at least 18 years old by Election Day (November 5, 2024). - Have been an Ohio resident for at least 30 days before the election. - Not be incarcerated for a felony conviction. - Not have been declared incompetent for voting by a court. - Not be permanently disqualified for voting due to election law violations. 2\. How to Register Ohio offers multiple ways to register to vote: online, by mail, and in person. Online Registration The simplest way to register is through the Ohio Secretary of State’s website at olvr.ohiosos.gov. You’ll need a valid Ohio driver’s license or state ID, along with the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN). Register by Mail You can also download a voter registration form from the Secretary of State’s website or obtain one from local offices such as libraries or county board of elections offices. Once completed, mail it to your county board of elections. Be sure it is postmarked by October 7, 2024 , the registration deadline​. In-Person Registration In-person registration is available at the following locations: - County board of elections offices. - Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) offices. - Public libraries and high schools​. 3\. Voter Registration Deadlines For the 2024 General Election, the deadline to register is October 7, 2024 , whether registering online, by mail, or in person. Any mailed forms must be postmarked by this date. 4\. Checking Your Registration Status If you're unsure whether you're registered, or if you need to update your information (such as a change of address), visit voterlookup.ohiosos.gov to check your status. Make sure your registration details are up to date to avoid any issues on Election Day. 5\. Identification Requirements Ohio requires valid identification to vote in person. Acceptable forms of ID include: - An unexpired Ohio driver’s license or state ID card (even if the address is outdated). - A U.S. passport. - Military ID. If voting by mail (absentee ballot), you can use the last four digits of your SSN instead of a photo ID. 6\. Ways to Vote Once registered, you have three options for casting your ballot: - Absentee (by mail) : You can request an absentee ballot from your county board of elections and return it by mail. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 4, 2024 , or delivered in person by November 5, 2024 , before polls close​. - Early Voting : Early in-person voting begins the day after the close of voter registration (October 8, 2024). Check with your local board of elections for times. - Election Day Voting : On November 5, 2024, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you’re in line by 7:30 p.m., you are allowed to vote. 7\. Special Considerations for College Students College students in Ohio have the option to register and vote in either their hometown or the community where they are attending school. Be sure to check your registration status and polling location well in advance​. Final Thoughts Voting is one of the most impactful ways to shape the future of your community and country. Take the time now to register, check your status, and make a voting plan for the upcoming election. For more information, visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s website at voteohio.gov.

Who is Dianne Selvey? Meet the Clyde woman challenging State Rep. Gary Click in 2024

TIFFIN, Ohio — The 2024 race for Ohio's 88th State House district is set to be a contentious one, with Democrat Dianne Selvey, of Clyde, challenging incumbent Republican Gary Click, of Vickery, for the 88th district seat representing Sandusky and Seneca counties. Dianne Selvey, a lifelong resident of the district, is running on a platform that emphasizes moderation and community involvement. On her campaign website, Selvey highlights her deep roots in the district, growing up in Green Springs, and her extensive work experience at Whirlpool, where she has spent 37 years, including 25 years in management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Heidelberg University, which she earned while working full-time, and has served on various local boards, such as St. Mary’s Advisory Board and the Terra Choral Society board. In addition to her professional qualifications, Selvey is active in the community as a coach for CYO track and high school bowling and as a singer with the Terra Choral Society. Selvey states on her campaign website that if elected, she will make "consensus- and fact-based decisions", emphasizing her moderate stance. To learn more about Selvey, follow her campaign Facebook page or visit her website at SelveyInTheHouse.com. Gary Click, the Republican incumbent, is currently serving his second term in the Ohio House of Representatives. Ohio State Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) Originally from Indiana but now residing in Vickery, Click has built a reputation as a polarizing figure within Ohio politics. His legislative record includes sponsoring bills aimed at banning abortion and restricting LGBTQ+ rights, such as conversion therapy and gender-affirming care for minors. While these initiatives have garnered significant attention, they have also drawn criticism from those who argue that Click prioritizes ideological battles over the practical needs of his constituents. The general election for Ohio's 88th State House district will be held on November 5, 2024, and voters will have a clear choice between Selvey’s call for moderation and Click’s focus on conservative legislative priorities. The outcome could have significant implications for the political landscape in Sandusky and Seneca counties. Register to vote, check/update your registration, and more at our Democracy Toolkit.

How Project 2025’s education policies mirror Ohio bills and universal private school vouchers

From universal private school vouchers to stripping away diversity and inclusion requirements, censoring classrooms, and targeting LGBTQ students — some of Ohio’s education laws and bills mirror the goals outlined for a second Trump administration in Project 2025. Project 2025 is a Presidential Transition Project written by the Heritage Foundation that spells out the first 180 days in office for the next right-wing administration. Even though former President Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, former Trump administration officials helped come up with the nearly 900-page policy book “Mandate for Leadership: A Conservative Promise,” which leans heavily on Christian Nationalism values. Trump’s running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, is the author of a foreword to an upcoming book about Project 2025 by Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts. The publication of that book has been postponed until after the 2024 Election. The book, now called, “Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America,” was originally titled, “Dawn’s Early Light: Burning Down Washington to Save America.” Honesty for Ohio Education Executive Director Christina Collins told the Capital Journal that it’s as though the Ohio General Assembly has been bringing many of the policies outlined in Project 2025 to the Buckeye State already. “It’s almost like Ohio knew what Project 2025 was going to go for, and that our legislature was like, let’s just get ahead of it. Let’s just start implementing,” Collins said. Honesty for Ohio Education compiled a document explaining how Project 2025 would affect education and how it lines up with what is happening in Ohio. “What’s embedded in Project 2025 with these Christian Nationalism values is one form of educating children,” Collins said. “It’s restrictive. It prevents the freedom of knowledge. It prevents the freedom of learning. It is not inclusive, and it is not an honest education.” Project 2025 would eliminate the United States Department of Education and would eliminate the Office of Head Start, which means closing Head Start child care programs that served about 833,000 low-income children in fiscal year 2022. “It’s almost like they’re taking everything that’s research based and just throwing it out the window,” Collins said. “We know that we should be going towards universal pre-K.” Ohio State Rep. Phil Robinson, D-Solon, introduced a universal preschool bill in May. How it’s happening in Ohio Project 2025 would create universal school vouchers, something Ohio did last year through the state budget. “Ohio is on the cutting edge of implementing universal vouchers,” Collins said. “Ohio is the Wild West when it comes to universal vouchers.” Project 2025 would then take it a step further by expanding education savings accounts — something Ohio is also trying to do. Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, introduced House Bill 339 last year which would establish the noncharted educational savings account program. The education savings account program started in August 2011 in Arizona and have grown in popularity in the past few years as more states move toward universal school vouchers. ESAs give families access to public per-pupil funds to be used for tuition for private schools, among other things. Arizona’s budget this summer faced a meltdown due to private charter school spending, which caused hundreds of millions in budget cuts to critical state programs and projects. Project 2025 would require school staff to out LGBTQ students to their parents, similar to Ohio’s House Bill 8. State Reps. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, and Sara Carruthers, R-Hamilton, introduced H.B. 8 last year and it passed in the House. The bill requires educators to notify parents about “any request by a student to identify as a gender that does not align with the student’s biological sex.” “Embedded in Project 25, embedded in what Ohio has done in just the last two years, is just this real emphasis on anti-LGBTQ families, households and students,” Collins said. “Project 2025, Ohio’s efforts have worked really hard to try and not acknowledge that LGBTQ people — particularly transgender students recently — to try and not acknowledge that they exist and to try and dehumanize people that are in those communities, and this exacerbates those efforts to keep doing that.” Pieces of Ohio’s controversial higher education bill Senate Bill 83 are sprinkled throughout Project 2025. Ohio Sen. Jerry Cirino’s Senate Bill 83 would ban mandatory DEI training unless it is required to comply with state and federal law. Project 2025 would strip DEI requirements. SB 83 would define controversial beliefs or policy as “any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.” The bill would allow students to “reach their own conclusions about all controversial beliefs or policies and shall not seek to indoctrinate any social, political or religious point of view.” Project 2025 calls for “deleting” terms such as “sexual orientation and gender identity,” “diversity, equity and inclusion programs,” and “reproductive rights.” LifeWise The Heritage Foundation also appears to have ties to the Ohio-based religious instruction program LifeWise Academy. Joel Penton, the founder of LifeWise, has been on the Heritage Foundation’s podcast The Daily Signal and the Family Research Council podcast, a partner of Project 2025. “We’re seeing these groups that are partnered, they are sponsoring each other, and they’re all working towards this common end, it seems, of injecting their values into all of public education,” Collins said. LifeWise is a program that teaches the Bible to students with their parents’ permission off-campus during the school day under released time for religious instruction laws. It enrolled nearly 30,000 students across more than 12 states last year and is more than 170 Ohio school districts. Ohio House Bill 445 would require school districts to come up with a policy to let students be excused from school to go to released time for religious instruction. Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X. Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com. Follow Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook and X.

The dos and don’ts of voting by mail in 2024

With the 2024 election approaching, many Ohioans are choosing to vote by mail. Whether for convenience, accessibility, or to avoid long lines, voting by mail provides an essential option for voters across the state. Here’s a detailed guide covering who is eligible to vote by mail, how to ensure your absentee ballot is counted, and some important do’s and don’ts. Who is Eligible to Vote by Mail in Ohio? In Ohio, all registered voters are eligible to vote by mail, also known as absentee voting. Unlike some states, Ohio does not require voters to provide a reason for voting absentee; it is an option available to everyone. While Ohio does mail absentee ballot applications ahead of general elections, voters will need to request one for other elections, such as primary or special elections. If you haven't received your application or are registering for the first time, you can still request one from your county's board of elections. Early Voting and Absentee Ballot Requests in 2024 As interest in absentee voting grows, Ohio has seen a surge in absentee ballot requests compared to previous election cycles. By three weeks before Ohio’s 2024 presidential primary, over 115,000 absentee ballot requests had already been submitted. This marks a significant increase compared to the same period in 2020, which saw approximately 71,296 requests. The Do’s and Don’ts of Voting by Mail Do’s: - Do Request Your Absentee Ballot Early : You can request an absentee ballot from your county board of elections online, by mail, or in person. It’s recommended to apply as soon as possible to ensure you receive your ballot in time. - Do Follow Instructions Carefully : When you receive your absentee ballot, read and follow all instructions. Any mistakes could result in your ballot being rejected. - Do Provide Proper Identification : Include the necessary identification, such as your Ohio driver’s license number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, or a copy of a valid form of identification. - Do Sign Your Ballot Envelope : Your signature is required to validate your ballot. Ensure that it matches the signature on file with the board of elections. - Do Ensure Your Ballot is Postmarked by the Deadline : In Ohio, absentee ballots must be postmarked by the day before Election Day and received by the board of elections no later than seven days after Election Day. Don’ts: - Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute : While the deadline to request an absentee ballot is seven days before the election, it's best to request and send it back much earlier to avoid postal delays or other issues. - Don’t Forget to Check for Errors : Simple mistakes such as forgetting to sign your ballot or not including proper identification can cause your ballot to be rejected. Double-check everything before mailing it. - Don’t Use the Wrong Envelope : Be sure to use the official return envelope provided with your absentee ballot. Using the wrong envelope can lead to disqualification. - Don’t Forget to Track Your Ballot : Once you've mailed your absentee ballot, track its status online through the Ohio Secretary of State’s website to ensure it has been received and will be counted. - Don’t Hand Over Your Ballot to Just Anyone : You can either mail your ballot back or hand-deliver it to your county’s board of elections. However, state law prohibits anyone other than a family member from delivering your ballot on your behalf. By following these do’s and don’ts, you can ensure that your voice is heard in Ohio’s elections without any complications. Voting by mail offers a secure and efficient way to participate in the democratic process from the comfort of your own home.

Three Ohio Supreme Court races on the November ballot will have a huge impact in the coming years

Three Ohio Supreme Court seats will be up for grabs during the November election. The outcomes will decide the balance of the court and have major impacts on a wide variety of issues that affect the lives of Ohioans, from education and environmental issues to gerrymandering and elections to civil and reproductive rights. Partisan labels were added to the previously-nonpartisan races by the state legislature in 2021. This year, incumbent Democratic Justice Michael P. Donnelly is being challenged by Republican Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan. Incumbent Democrat Justice Melody Stewart is being challenged by incumbent Republican Justice Joseph Deters, who opted not to run for his current seat and decided to go up against Stewart. Vying for Deters’ open seat is Democratic candidate Lisa Forbes, of the Eighth District Court of Appeals, and Republican candidate Dan Hawkins, of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Deters decided to run for a full-term seat by challenging Stewart, rather than a partial term for the seat Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to on Jan. 7, 2023. Because of this, whichever candidate wins Deters’ current seat will have to run again in 2026 for a full six-year term. Ohio’s highest court currently has a 4-3 Republican majority. If all three Republicans are elected, the Republicans would hold all but one seat on the bench, for a 6-1 majority. On the flip side, if all three Democrats win their elections, the Democrats would hold a 4-3 majority. The Ohio Supreme Court has been under Republican control since 1986. Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner’s seat will be up in 2026. Republican Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Republican Justice Pat DeWine and Republican Justice Pat Fischer’s seats will be up in 2028. The Ohio Supreme Court could make decisions on a plethora of critical issues: reproductive rights, gerrymandering, school vouchers, home rule, and environmental issues, among others. “If there’s a law around it, it could end up in the Supreme Court and have a real, tangible impact on each of our lives,” said Elisabeth Warner, spokesperson for the League of Women Voters of Ohio. Even though 57% of Ohio voters approved an amendment last year to enshrine reproductive rights in the state’s constitution, the court will inevitably rule on abortion access. “There are still a lot of anti-abortion laws on the books, so that’s something that the Supreme Court is going to be ruling on,” Warner said. Ohio’s anti-abortion laws were not automatically nullified when last year’s amendment passed, so abortion advocates are working to undo those laws. Franklin County Court of Common Pleas recently issued a temporary pause on Ohio’s 24-hour waiting period and the minimum two in-person visits required before an abortion. Another lawsuit is currently pending in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas over whether Ohio’s six-week abortion ban is unconstitutional after voters passed last year’s amendment. Those lawsuits will likely make their way to the Ohio Supreme Court — meaning the seven justices will end up deciding to what extent reproductive rights are protected. “At the end of the day, the Ohio Supreme Court will determine whatever’s in the Ohio Constitution that voters put into the Ohio Constitution,” said Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohio’s executive director. “It is interpreted by the Ohio Supreme Court.” The Ohio Supreme Court has made many rulings on redistricting before and it will likely come before the court again — especially with the amendment on this year’s ballot to create a citizen commission to redraw districts. A lawsuit against school vouchers is making its way through the court system and will likely go before the state’s high court. Even boneless chicken wings wound up in front of Ohio’s seven justices. The court recently made national headlines with their 4-3 ruling that boneless chicken wings can have bones in them — appearing in a bit on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Turcer and Warner both criticized the 2021 law that requires party affiliation listed on the ballot for Ohio Supreme Court candidates. More than 1 million Ohio voters left the two Supreme Court races blank during the 2020 election. “We shouldn’t actually be thinking Democrats and Republicans because at the end of the day, what you want is a referee who’s independent and impartial,” Turcer said. Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X. Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com. Follow Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook and X. [](https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/donate)