Each year, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections hires about 4,500 election officials to work the polls for the General Election. Having enough people staff each polling location is critical to the overall success of the election, which is why we don’t take any chances. We are now hiring stand-by poll workers to step up in the event someone cannot fulfill their Election Day assignment.
Stand-by poll workers will receive a minimum stipend of $100 for being on call Monday and reporting on Tuesday. See below for additional requirements, and click here to apply.
National Voter Registration Day was a huge success this year! This grand collaboration yielded more than 1,800 voter registrations for Cuyahoga County, far surpassing the goal of 1,000 registrations. This is the first time in seven years that the Cuyahoga County voter registration roles have exceeded 900,000 in a November Election.
Each year, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections partners with Cleveland Votes to organize a county-wide collaboration for National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). Organizations, volunteers and community activists across the area participate by hosting events, conducting voter registration drives, volunteering and promoting voter registration online. This year, 54 partners joined the initiative, nearly doubling last year’s participation. About 25 unique events took place around the area providing ample opportunities for people to prepare for the election.
This year’s success actually surpassed the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election year, which achieved 934 registrations. Nationally, this was the biggest NVRD of all time with more than 800,000 voters registered, when only 300,000 was the projected goal. Midterms do not often garner the same voter buzz and general interest as presidential elections do, which is why this year’s outcome is a welcomed surprise for all.
If you are interested in joining the collaboration next year, please contact Cathy Goskey at cgoskey@cuyahogacounty.us or 216-443-6413.
Last week approximately 110 students from Cleveland Metropolitan School District came to the Board of Elections to cast their votes. Congratulations to these first-time voters!
This organized effort stemmed from the Second Annual Your Voice Matters Youth Summitwhich took place on September 14. During the summit, students from around the county learned about the importance of voting and how to participate in the democratic process. Students created action plans to encourage their classmates to both register and actually vote. Their plans came full circle with class field trips to the Board of Elections during early voting.
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!
Thousands of vote-by-mail ballots are unloaded as they arrive at the United States Postal Service.
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.”
Pat McDonald, Director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, greets members of the media during a press conference to kick off the start of early voting.
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.
Today, October 9, 2018, is the last day to register or update your voter registration for the November 6, 2018 General Election. Our offices will remain open until 9:00 p.m. tonight to ensure all voters get their registrations in on time. We are located at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115 (map). If you have an Ohio driver’s license, you may use the online registration system at www.myohiovote.com.
