Absentee Voting

Absentee and In-person Early Voting

Absentee Voting

An absentee voter is any qualified voter who votes by mail or in person prior to Election Day


HOW TO REQUEST YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT

OPTION 1: PRINT YOUR REQUEST AND MAIL IT TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Fill out your application online (Website), print it out and mail it


OPTION 2: HAVE AN APPLICATION MAILED TO YOU BY THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Call (419) 213-4001 to request an application be sent to you


OPTION 3: MAKE YOUR OWN APPLICATION AND MAIL IT IN

Voters may request a vote-by-mail ballot one of three ways, including printing a request from VoteOhio.gov, calling your county board of elections, or making your own! Voters who can’t print their own form may simply write the following information on a blank sheet of paper.

Write: “I’m a qualified elector and I’m requesting an absentee ballot for the [date of the the election for which you are requesting an absentee ballot].”

List your:

  • Full Name

  • Date of Birth

  • County

  • Registration Address

  • Mailing Address (if different from your registration address)

  • Ohio driver’s license number OR last four digits of your Social Security number OR include a COPY of an acceptable form of ID

Sign and date your letter

Affix postage, and mail it to:

Lucas County Board of Elections

Suite 300

One Government Center

Toledo, Ohio 43604


Any qualified voter whose registration information is current may request and vote an absentee ballot at any election without stating a reason.

A qualified voter who wishes to cast an absentee ballot must submit an application in writing to the Board of Elections in the county which the voter resides.

Voters may submit applications to receive an absentee ballot by mail beginning January 1st of the election year or 90 days before the election, whichever is earlier, and ending at 12:00 p.m. noon the Saturday before Election Day. Separate applications must be submitted for each election

Application for Absentee Voter's Ballot (PDF)

Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request (PDF)


Return of Absentee Ballot

Absentees returned by mail to the Board of Elections office MUST have proper postage affixed to the return envelope

The absentee ballot must be postmarked no later than the day before Election Day and received at our Board of Elections office no later than the 10th day after Election Day

If returning an absentee ballot in person, it must be received at the Board of Elections office no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. The ballot must be returned by the voter or a family member

No one may return a voted absentee ballot to a precinct polling location


In-person Absentee Voting

Absentee voting for each election begins the day after the close of registration, which is 28 days before each election. This is for in-person absentee voting and voting by mail.


*NOTE - Only military and overseas voters can email their applications for absentee voter ballots. All other applicants must mail or deliver their applications to our office. Military and overseas voters can email their ballot to lucas@ohiosecretaryofstate.gov.

For more information on the Federal Voting Assistance Program, providing voting assistance for Service members, their families and overseas citizens please visit fvap.gov