On March 25, 2020, the Ohio General Assembly passed H.B. 197, legislation aimed at dealing with the state’s response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Among other items, the bill set April 28, 2020, as the final day of Ohio’s primary election.
On March 25, 2020, the Ohio General Assembly passed H.B. 197, legislation aimed at dealing with the state’s response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Among other items, the bill set April 28, 2020, as the final day of Ohio’s primary election. Secretary of State Frank LaRose has developed a good resource page that answers many questions voters might have. The following is a brief overview of that information and information from the Medina County Board of Elections.
- If you voted by mail or in-person before March 17, 2020, you do not need to vote again. All ballots already submitted by mail or in-person will count, so long as they were otherwise valid. Those ballots are securely locked at the Board of Election until counting begins on April 28. Please encourage friends and family who haven’t already voted to request an absentee ballot from your local board of elections.
- Since most Ohioans are being advised to stay home right now, the new legislation only allows for very limited in-person voting on April 28th. In-person voting will only occur at boards of elections early vote centers, NOT at the usual precinct polling locations. In-person voting will only be available for individuals with disabilities who require in-person voting and those who do not have a home mailing address.
- The deadline to register for the 2020 primary election was February 18, 2020. Anyone who is eligible to vote, but has not yet registered, can do so for the November 3, 2020 General Election, at VoteOhio.gov(opens in a new window).
- Voters can find applications for the Primary Election Absentee Ballot on the Medina County Board of Elections website. Download and print off an Absentee Ballot Application and mail it to the board of elections’ office. Or, request to have an Absentee Application mailed to you by emailing your information to them at medina@OhioSoS.gov. Please include your name, mailing address, contact information and number of applications needed. If you do not have email or access to a printer, please call the Medina County Board of Elections at 330.722.9278 and leave a detailed message to request that an application be mailed to you. Once your absentee ballot request is received by the board of elections, they will process your request and mail your ballot to your address. The board of elections will prepay return postage. Once you receive your ballot, to make sure your ballot is counted, it must be received by the board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on April 28 OR be postmarked by April 27 and delivered by mail to your board of elections by May 8. The address for drop off and for mailing is:
Medina County Board of Elections
P.O. Box 506
Medina, OH 44258
- The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) estimates that it may take two to five days for your voted absentee ballot to be delivered to your board of elections by mail. You can track your request and your ballot online at VoteOhio.gov. Tabulation of votes will begin on April 28, 2020, after 7:30 p.m.
Please take the time to cast your vote in the primary election!