Election Information

General Election Information

The 2023 General Election will take place on November 7, 2023. The deadline for registering to vote at your current address in Ohio is October 10, 2023. If you wish to vote in Ohio, you must be registered at your current address; see below for information on voter registration.  Whether voting in Ohio, absentee, or by mail, be sure you are prepared and know when and how you can submit (or cast) your ballot. Important: students without an Ohio driver's license, state ID, or passport must vote by mail. 

Check your state
411 Election Information

Voter Registration

Are you registered to vote? Of course, you are! If you are registered in Ohio, please check the Lorain County Board of Elections at www.voteloraincountyohio.gov to verify that you have successfully registered. If you are not in the same dormitory or apartment as you were when you last voted in Ohio, you need to update your voter registration. Look for voter registration drives on campus or fill out a voter registration form at the Science Center library. 

On-Campus Voter Registration

If you are registering to vote at an on-campus address, please note the following: 

• Your voter registration address must be the physical address of your dorm. You can look this up at the facilities' website.
• Under mailing address, you will need to write: 135 W Lorain St. - [your Obie ID]. You do not need to rewrite Oberlin, OH 44074
• You MUST pick up your voter registration postcard from the mailroom as soon as possible. Receipt of this postcard verifies your address for the Board of Elections. 

Voting at Home

If you want to register to vote in your home state, check out more information about voter registration and voting processes through the Campus Votes Project State Student Guides. 

Learn Who and What is on the Ballot

The November election will include two state constitutional amendments and other local races. 

See the list of candidates and ballot measures at the Lorain County Board of Elections. Regardless of where you are voting, you can find your ballot information at the link below. 

Find out what's on your ballot

Plan Your Vote: Here’s How

Three Ways to Vote

1) Vote by Mail

In order to vote by mail in the state of Ohio, you will need to provide either your Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. This method is likely to be the easiest for students who do not have a photo ID. You can request an absentee ballot by printing and mailing this form or delivering it in person to the Board of Elections. All absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before November 6th and received by November 13th. Absentee voting for the November Election starts October 11. Make sure you are correctly registered first.

Absentee Request

2) Vote Early in Person

• You can vote early in-person at the Lorain Board of Elections between October 11 through November 6. Check voting hours and get directions.

• You will need an unexpired photo ID to vote in person in Ohio. Bring one of the following:

  • A Driver's license or photo ID issued by the State of Ohio BMV

  • Military ID

  • US Passport and Passport Card

3) Vote at the Polls on Election Day

• Find your polling location (https://www.voteloraincountyohio.gov/find-polling-location). Please note that polling for college students may depend on your on-campus residence.

• You will need an unexpired photo ID to vote in person in Ohio. Bring one of the following:

  • A Driver's license or photo ID issued by the State of Ohio BMV

  • Military ID

  • US Passport and Passport Card

 Decadal Redistricting

After every 10-year census, each state adjusts the number and location of its federal congressional districts as well as those for the state legislatures. In 2015, Ohio voters amended the state constitution in an attempt to reduce partisan gerrymanders in the state legislature by creating a bipartisan redistricting commission and a set of rules to make it more difficult for the majority party to redraw districts in their favor. In 2018, Ohio voters approved a separate but somewhat parallel amendment to reduce gerrymandering for U.S. congressional districts.

In 2021, these two processes were implemented for the first time after a delayed census report due to the Covid-19 disruption. The commissions were unable to reach a bipartisan consensus, and new maps were approved based on the majority party (Republican) designs. A number of voting rights organizations, including the non-partisan League of Women Voters, filed suit against the redistricting commission, arguing that the maps approved for both state and federal legislatures are unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders.

In four separate rulings, The Ohio Supreme Court rejected as unconstitutional the latest Ohio House and Senate district maps. Earlier in 2022, the court ruled that the maps drawn for the federal districts also do not comply with the state's constitution anti-gerrymandering requirements. Nevertheless, the maps will be used for the General Election in 2023.  New maps will not be in place until 2024.

Sources:
“All About Redistricting” - Loyola Law School;
“State Redistricting Deadlines” - National Conference of State Legislatures
"Ohio Supreme Court rules the latest GOP-drawn state legislative district maps unconstitutional" -Statehouse News Bureau
“Ohio Supreme Court scraps 2nd GOP-drawn congressional map” - Politico News