TOLEDO, Ohio — Election Day is eight days away. If you can't make it to the polls and want to vote absentee in Ohio, you'll need to request a ballot by Tuesday through your county's board of elections.
In order for your absentee ballot to count, it needs to be postmarked and sent to the BOE the Monday before the election, Nov. 4.
"They have up to four days after the election to get to our office through the postal system," said Terry Burton, director of the Wood County Board of Elections. "But certainly, anyone that's already asked for a ballot or will ask for a ballot, we encourage them to get it back in the mail as soon as possible."
Burton says early voter turnout is up around 15% from four years ago and that some people prefer to vote early in person. In Wood County, you can do that at the courthouse in Bowling Green.
"There's a convenience factor even compared to Election Day and the fact that they could vote many days," Burton said. "In some ways, I think people just are trying to get this election over. I think they believe that if they come early and vote, they can either forget about the commercials in the mail or at the very least, maybe they'll stop."
So, if you're voting absentee, get it in as quickly as possible.
"We're open until 8:30 (p.m.) And that's true for all the boards across the state," Burton said. "We have to have an application in our office by the close of business to issue an absentee ballot."
If you can't get your ballot postmarked by Nov. 4, you can drop it off on Election Day in the secured box at your local board of elections until 7:30 p.m.