Judging by the frenzy of commercials, you can tell it is Election Time in America. Staying out of the fray, there are some things that everyone needs to know. So, Ethel went to the source, the local Board of Elections of Portage County. During a very busy season, Deputy Director Teri Nielsen made time to share valuable information with me.
First, the important upcoming dates…
• October 5, 2026 deadline for voter registration. Registration forms were available at the Board of Elections (449 S. Meridian in Ravenna,) Bureau of Motor Vehicles or many other locations such as the party offices or local high schools. It must have been received by 9:00pm. You could have also registered at https://voteohio.gov. and you can check your registration there, too.
• October 6, 2026: first day that absentee ballots can be mailed. If you choose to use this option, the Board of Elections must receive your absentee ballot application by 8:30pm on October 27. These can be mailed or hand-delivered, or placed int he drop box in the parking lot of 449 S. Meridian.
• October 6 to November 1: Early voting at the Board of Elections. Curbside voting will be available for persons with disabilities.
• November 2: The Board of Elections office is closed.
• November 3: Election Day. Polls open at 6:30am and close at 7:30pm. If you arrive there by 7:30pm, you will be able to vote. You must go to your assigned precinct to vote on this day.
If you are interested in voting early, this must be done in person at the Board of Elections. Hours are:
• Oct. 6 to Oct. 9: 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Oct. 19 to Oct. 23: 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Oct. 24: 8:00am to4:00pm
• Oct. 26: 7:30am to 7:30pm
• Oct. 27:7:30am to 8:30pm
• Oct. 28 to Oct. 30:7:30am to 7:30pm
• Oct. 31: 8:00am to 4:00pm
• Sunday Nov. 1: 1:00pm to 5:00pm
• November 2: NO VOTING
• November 3: All Ballots Must Be Received by 7:30pm (recent change, formerly postmarked by Nov. 3)
Teri shared that they have two directors, one Democrat and one Republican. Both directors have the same authority. The two directors split duties; amongst other things Deputy Director Faith works closely with the candidates while Teri rakes care of issues.
Portage County has two polling location changes. Nelson Township will be voting in the Nelson Township Maintenance Garage due to construction. The address for the maintenance garage is 9231 State Route 305 in Garrettsville. Kent City 3A, 3B and Franklin Township E has moved from Christian Life Center (aka Compass North Church), now will vote at Parkside Kent at 5915 Rhodes Road, behind the Gabriel Brothers store. All effected voters have been sent notifications of the changes. Go to the portage-oh.gov website to check your precinct.
Teri suggests that all voters have a voting plan. We all know that stuff happens, so advance planning can guarantee your voice is counted. First, you need to be registered, and you can use the voteohio.gov site to check your registration. Educate yourself on the candidates and the issues. You can view sample ballots for your precinct at voteohio.gov or the portagecounty-oh.gov. Research both the issues and the candidates. Check the expiration dates on your ID. Double check your polling location, sometimes they change. If you are intending to vote by mail, do so early-remember the new Ohio law states the ballot must be received by 7:30pm on November 3.
Speaking of ID, what are the accepted forms of Identification?
• Unexpired Ohio Driver’s License
• Unexpired Ohio State Identification Card
• Unexpired US Passport or Passport Card
• ID issued by the Department of Defense
If you arrive and then discover that your license is expired, you will still be able to vote provisionally. You will then have 4 days to have your vote ‘cured.’ That means that you have resolved the problem with the Board of Elections. Other reasons for provisional votes could include misspelled name, non-updated address, not in the database. Every effort will be made to correct it and count your vote.
Have you ever wondered about the people that are working the polls? Without them, our Democracy couldn’t work. To be eligible to be a poll worker, aka Precinct Election Official (PEO) you must be registered to vote in your county, read and speak English clearly (second languages are a plus,) attend a training class (approximately 3.5 hours,) and available on Election Day. Portage County trains approximately 600 poll workers for every election. PEOs must arrive at their location at 5:45 am, on election day and must remain until their duties are completed, usually after 8:00pm or later. There are also 2 from every precinct that are responsible for returning ballots, supplies and information to the Board. PEOs receive a training manual that is updated every election. They are thoroughly trained in running the machines (DS2000 and Express Vote) and sworn in to administer their duties. They work in bipartisan pairs to complete all the duties involved. They do receive compensation, though no one does it for the paycheck; they are there for Democracy and to give back to their community. There is still time for you to train! If interested, please call the Board of Elections at (330)297-3511.
Remember that campaigning at the polls cannot be conducted within 100 feet of the location. There will be flags denoting the distance. Please do not wear campaign apparel in the polling locations.
What do you need to know if you are voting by mail? Is it safe? In the past, as long as your ballot was post marked on Election Day, it would be counted. Legislative changes have been made so that your ballot must be received by 7:30pm on November 3. If you are mailing it, you should try to mail it at least a week early! You can bring it to the Board of Elections and either bring it into the office or drop it in the Drop Box in the parking lot. It is electronically monitored and emptied frequently throughout each day. If you are home-bound, a family member or caregiver may drop it off for you.
Each mail in ballot goes through a series of checks and matches. The signature on the envelope is checked against the signature the voter has on file. The ballot is checked with either your driver’s license or the last four of your social security number, which is on file with your registration. Ballots are checked in bipartisan teams. Each ballot has a unique tracking code, enabling the voter to check when it is received and processed. If there is a problem, the Board will contact the voter to get it corrected. Every effort is made to ensure your vote is legitimate and counted.
Early voting has already begun, and the turnout has been steady so far. Remember, early voting must be done at the Board of Elections, 449 S. Meridian in Ravenna.
Ethel is about to get on a soap box…voting is a right in this county, one for which many have fought and shed blood. There are fail-safes built in at every level of the election process. Every effort is made to ensure your vote is counted. Get out there, vote and make sure your voice is heard.
