Early voting for the November 6, 2018 General Election begins today. Voters are invited to take advantage of this convenience by either voting in person at the Board of Elections or by mail.
We kicked off the day by visiting the United States Postal Service where Director Pat McDonald held a press conference to discuss early voting. This morning, 70,000 ballots arrived for mailing and we expect to send out close to 130,000 ballots by the end of this week!
Vote-by-mail & early-voting ballots are projected to make up 30-35% of the total ballots cast this election. Right now, we project close to 45% turnout with approximately 400,000 total ballots cast. We will have a better idea of what turnout will be as we get closer to Election Day.
During his remarks, Director McDonald emphasized the importance of voting. He said, “These ballots represent the democratic voices of tens of thousands of people who will soon be voting. I’m happy to say they will begin arriving in mailboxes later this week.”
Director McDonald also encourages voting by mail, recognizing that Cuyahoga County will be one of the most watched counties in the State of Ohio. We have the highest number of people who vote by mail in the state, illustrating it is a solid and dependable voting method. He stated, “Voting by mail is safe & secure. Throughout my 11 years working at the Board of Elections, we have never had any major issues with delivery or return of ballots through mail. The United States Postal Service is an excellent partner & handles ballots with care & attention.”
Fun Fact: Vote-by-mail and early-voted ballots are the first to be counted on election night.
Voting by Mail
There is still plenty of time to vote by mail. The application deadline is noon on November 3, but voters should submit their request ASAP to ensure they receive their ballot well ahead of Election Day on November 6. Click here for Vote-by-Mail Application form and instructions.
Voters can track their absentee ballot with VoterNotify, a tracking tool that sends a text or email when the absentee ballot has been mailed out and again when it is received at the Board of Elections. Click here to learn more.
Early Voting In Person
Voters may vote in person at the Board of Elections located at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115 during the following dates and times.
Weekdays, October 10 – 26: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Weekdays, October 29 – November 2: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays, October 27 & November 3: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 4: 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, November 5: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Voting at the Polls
Of course, voters may vote on Election Day (November 6, 2018) at their assigned polling location. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Click here to find polling location.