Round-Up of Critical Election Dates

YOU CAN REQUEST YOUR VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT NOW! IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Cuyahoga County must receive the Vote-by-Mail ballot application by Tuesday, October 27 at 8:30 p.m. GO TO: boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/voters/vote-by-mail

• Round-Up of Critical Election Dates — 2026

  • Oct. 5 — Voter registration deadline (9:00 p.m.)
  • Oct. 6 — Early in-person voting begins
  • Oct. 6 — Vote-by-mail voting begins
  • Oct. 27 — Last day for the Board of Elections to receive a vote-by-mail ballot application (8:30 p.m.)
  • Nov. 1 — Early in-person voting ends (5:00 p.m.)
  • Nov. 3 — Election Day, 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
  • Nov. 3 — Regular vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m.

• Weekdays are denoted as Monday through Friday

• Early In-Person Voting Hours

  • Oct. 6–23: Weekdays, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
  • Oct. 24: Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
  • Oct. 26: Monday, 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 27: Tuesday, 7:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 28–30: Wednesday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 31: Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
  • Nov. 1: Sunday, 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

 NOTICE: VOTE-BY MAIL BALLOT APPLICATIONS

The Ohio Secretary of State has mailed vote-by-mail applications to ALL registered voters for the upcoming General Election.

Make sure your registration is up to date,.

If you are a registered Ohio voter, and you want to vote by mail, you must fill out the application and return it. Your absentee ballots must be received by the BOE by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.

Options for returning the form are by mail, or by hand delivery to your county elections office, including the 24-hour Drop Box. Please scroll down for more information about the Drop Box.

Beginning October 6, Vote-by-Mail ballots will be mailed to voters whose applications have been received and approved. Voters can track the status of their ballot online at VoteOhio.gov/Track.

Keep in mind that if you request an absentee ballot, but then decide you instead want to vote in person on Election Day, you will be required to cast what’s called a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots aren’t counted on Election Night – elections workers take extra days to first ensure you aren’t voting twice.

However, if you request an absentee ballot application and then decide instead to vote early and in person at the board of elections, recent state elections policy has been to have elections workers nullify your outstanding vote-by mail ballot (each one has its own unique barcode) and let you cast your early in-person ballot.