Voter Registration Deadline Is Feb. 18

Ohioans must register to vote by 9 p.m. Tuesday to participate in upcoming elections, including the primary elections on March 17.

Anyone interested in participating in  the 2020 elections can check their registration status online or by phone. Checking registration status is necessary ahead of the first round of voting, said Mike West with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Outreach Department

“Well ahead of the election, people should always check their voter registration status,” West said. “A lot of folks get married or they move to a new location, and they don’t really think about checking their registration.”

To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen 18 years or older on the day of the general election in November, and have been an Ohio resident for at least 30 days. Seventeen-year-old residents can vote for candidates in the March primaries if they turn 18 on or before the General Election.

In the state's semi-open primary, Ohioans also can register with a political party or change their preference before or on Election Day.

There’s a new method for registering this year, West said. Some residents are now eligible to  register online through the Ohio Secretary of State.

“If they have a state driver’s license or ID card, that means the state has already captured their signature and they don’t have to fill out a voter registration card,” West said.

After registering, residents will receive a voter card with a new polling location and information about their district.

Paper voter registration forms are still available at public libraries and can be printed out from the board’s website, West said. Residents also can request a form be mailed to their home address, but it must be filled out and returned before the deadline.

Cuyahoga County residents can visit the  Board of Election's website or call 216-443-VOTE to check registration status.