Early voting has begun for the May 8 Primary Election

Posted on April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

Early voting has begun for the May 8 Primary Election. Voters may cast their vote early in person at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, or they may request an absentee ballot to vote in the comfort of their home.

Early Voting Hours
Early voting takes place at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, located at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115 during the following dates and times:

Weekdays: April 10 to April 27	8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Weekdays: April 30 to May 4	8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 5	8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 6	1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, May 7	8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Voting by Mail
Voting by mail is easy, convenient and secure. To request a ballot, download a vote-by-mail application and return the completed form to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Forms are also available at local libraries. Your application must be returned by 12:00 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day, however, it is best to return it as soon as possible. Click to download vote-by-mail application.

Save a stamp during “Vote by Mail Week” April 8-14

Posted on April 2, 2018April 16, 2018 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is proud to announce Vote by Mail Week, April 8-14, 2018, in partnership with Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL).

County residents can save a stamp by dropping off their completed vote-by-mail applications at any CCPL branch from Sunday, April 8 through Saturday, April 14 during regular library hours. For a complete listing of CCPL locations, please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org/branches.

To vote by mail, voters must obtain, complete and mail their vote-by-mail ballot applications to the Board of Elections. Vote by Mail Week will save voters several steps in the process and seeks to increase voter turnout for the May 8 Primary Election.

Vote-by-mail applications are available at all CCPL branches. Voters may also print out or request vote-by-mail applications on the Board of Elections website: www.443VOTE.com.

CCPL can only accept vote-by-mail applications during Vote by Mail Week. Absentee ballots will not be accepted and must be mailed by the voter through the United States Postal Service or dropped off in person by the voter or a family member at the Board of Elections located at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

About Cuyahoga County Public Library
The Cuyahoga County Public Library is committed to their mission of being at the center of community life by creating an environment where reading, lifelong learning and civic engagement thrive and their vision to be the most convenient library system in the country. For more information, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org.

Happy Election Day!

Posted on November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

Today is Election Day! Voters will elect hundreds of municipal offices, fill judicial seats and select school board members in addition to deciding state, county and local issues. Polls are open today from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Reminders for Voters
Voters are reminded to bring proper ID with them to the polls today. This includes:

Unexpired Ohio driver’s license or state ID
Military ID
Current (within the past 12 months) utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document with your name and current address

Any voter that does not know where to vote can look up their polling location on our website. They may also download a sample ballot to review prior to voting.
Click here for “My Voting Info”

Vote-by-Mail Ballots
People who vote by mail must be aware that the deadline to mail their ballot has passed. Voted ballots may only be returned to the Board of Elections offices and must be received by 7:30 p.m. tonight. Voters may utilize a special ballot box located in the Board of Elections parking lot at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland (Map). Ballots cannot be dropped off at a voting location on Election Day.

Spanish Hot Line
Spanish-speaking voters needing special assistance may call our Spanish Hotline at 216-443-3233. We will gladly help you!

Absentee Ballot Return Deadlines Reminder

Posted on November 6, 2017November 7, 2017 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

It’s Election Day Eve! That means your absentee ballot must be postmarked TODAY. If you cannot make it to the post office, you may also return your ballot in person at the Board of Elections. The ballot must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

For your convenience, we have a secure 24/7 ballot drop box located in our parking lot at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Map

Note: Ballots CANNOT be returned to your polling location.

What’s not to love about Voter Notify?

Posted on October 12, 2017October 12, 2017 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

I don’t know about you, but whenever I order something online I am constantly tracking my package to see when it will arrive. Tracking your vote-by-mail ballot should be no different, which is why I love Voter Notify!

Voter Notify takes all the guessing out of voting by mail. Questions like, “when will I receive my ballot?” and “was my ballot returned to the Board of Elections yet?” are answered with a text and/or email before you even have the chance to think about it.

Just last night I received a text informing me that my ballot was on the way and to keep an eye out for it in my mailbox. I really appreciated that text and will pay more attention when I grab the mail this week.

Voter Notify will also send me a message once my ballot has been received at the Board of Elections. While I fully trust the United States Postal Service, it’s nice to get an actual confirmation that my ballot was returned and my votes will be counted.

If you vote by mail (and why wouldn’t you? It’s so convenient!), and haven’t signed up for Voter Notify yet, then you’re missing out. Since its launch in 2015, more than 17,000 voters in Cuyahoga County have signed up to get the notifications. If you’re ready to fall in love with voting by mail all over again, sign up for Voter Notify here.

To request your vote-by-mail ballot, print your application here. We must receive your completed form no later than noon on the Saturday prior to Election Day.

Author: Cathy Goskey, Community Outreach, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

How to Vote in College

Posted on September 14, 2016October 13, 2017 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

Whether you’re just starting college or haven’t voted while in college, there are a few things to know as you get ready for the presidential election.

You must register to vote by October 11.
Note: You cannot register to vote online in Ohio (yet), which means you will need to mail your registration to your county’s board of elections. Don’t miss the deadline! Download a form here.

You have two options. Register with your permanent home address and vote by mail, or register with your new school address. The address you register with will determine the local issues and candidates that appear on your ballot.

Not sure if you are registered? Look it up here.

We recommend voting by mail.
We recommend registering with your permanent home address and voting by mail. This is because your school address typically changes from year to year, which means you would need to update your voter registration every time you want to vote (remember, it’s important to vote in every election, not just during presidential races). Also, depending on where you go to school, it may be difficult to vote at your polling location if you don’t have access to a car or public transportation.

How to vote by mail in Ohio:
1. Complete a vote-by-mail ballot application and mail it to your county’s board of elections.
2. Your county’s board of elections will mail you your ballot. Ballots will be mailed out beginning October 12.
3. Complete your ballot and return it to your county’s board of elections (postage not included).

That’s it! And, you still get a sticker when you vote by mail!

Give yourself extra time.
Sometimes campus mail can take a little longer. Request your vote-by-mail ballot early! This will ensure your county’s board of elections has enough time to process your request and send you your ballot. Your absentee ballot must be postmarked by November 7, 2016 (one day before the election) and received back at your county’s board of elections within ten days of the election in order to be counted.

Voting by mail is safe and secure.
All ballots are prepared for tabulation as soon as they arrive back at the board of elections. Ballots are locked in our vault until election night. The first votes counted on election night are from early and absentee ballots. In Cuyahoga County, you can even get a text or email to confirm your vote has been counted when you sign up for VoterNotify.

Fun fact: Voted ballots can never be left alone with a single person. One person from each party must always be present, and the access code to our vault is broken into two codes. One democrat has one half of the code, and one republican has the other half.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact your county’s board of elections, or give us a call at 216-443-VOTE.

The above information pertains to Ohio voters. The following resources may be helpful to voters outside the state of Ohio:
http://www.rockthevote.com/
https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting

Top Ten Reasons to Vote by Mail

Posted on February 24, 2016October 13, 2017 by Cuyahoga County Board of Elections

The March 15 Primary Election will be here before you know it. Here are our top ten reasons to vote early by mail:

Vote on your own schedule. So many of us are juggling work, taking care of our families, running errands, exercising, volunteering, etc. that voting in person can be a hassle. Vote at your leisure when it’s convenient for you. This especially holds true for those who will be traveling on March 15.
It’s easy. Voting comes to you! How easy is that? After you request your vote-by-mail ballot, the Board of Elections will mail you the ballot and all you need to do is complete it and mail it back.
You still get a sticker. Everyone’s favorite part of voting, right?
You still get a sticker when you vote by mail!
Every vote counts. All votes are counted as soon as ballots arrive back at the Board of Elections. Now you can even get a text or email to confirm your vote has been counted through VoterNotify.
There’s no place like home. Vote from the comfort and privacy of your own home.
Take your time. Never heard of that candidate running for judge or councilman? Say no more! When voting from home you’re just a quick Google search away from researching candidates to make educated decisions as you go.
You can vote in your pajamas. But really.
Avoid lines on Election Day. More people come out to the polls in presidential election years. Don’t let this happen to you (Election Day 2008):
Election Day 2008 – Voters waited in line that spanned blocks.
Safe and secure. Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has solved the issue of counting ballots that arrive after Election Day without a postmark. No more worries! Read about it here: Ohio absentee ballot postmark fix proposed by Secretary of State Jon Husted
Get it over with. Already know who you’re voting for? Then why wait? Go ahead and vote already!

Click here to download your vote-by-mail application.

To learn more about voting by mail, call 216-443-VOTE or visit: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/Voters/absenteeVoting.aspx#byMail

Author: Cathy Bajic, Community Outreach Coordinator, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections