May’s primary election is just around the corner and will set the stage for November’s 2026 general election at federal, state and county levels.
On Capitol Hill, one senate seat and all 15 house seats are up for grabs this November, and voters will make their selections for their party’s front-runner.
At the state level, voters will see ballots for governor, attorney general, auditor of state, secretary of state and treasurer of state.
This voter guide for the May 5 primary election provides an overview on how to prepare for the election, when and where to vote, and what's on the ballot.
Am I registered to vote?
The deadline to register to vote in the May 5 primary is April 6. Check here to see if you are registered. If you register or update your information after the deadline, the change will apply for the next election.
What's on my ballot?
To see what's on your ballot, follow this link to the Ohio Secretary of State website and select your county.
Early in-person voting
Early in-person voting begins April 7 and includes the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Early voting hours vary, depending on the date you plan to cast your vote:
- April 7-10: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- April 13-17: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- April 20-24: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- April 27: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- April 28: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
- April 29-May 1: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- May 2: 1: 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.
- May 3: 1-5 p.m.
You can find your early voting polling location by clicking on your county on this map.
Vote by mail
To vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot.
If you are voting by mail, a new Ohio law requires you to ensure your absentee ballot is in your county's board of election ballot box before polls close on Election Day.
If you're concerned that there's not enough time for the post office to mail your ballot, you can personally drop it off at your county's board of election ballot drop-box.
Absentee ballot applications are open now and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is April 28, but election officials recommend applying for one well ahead of the deadline, due to the time it takes to deliver and process an application and to send the ballot.
Absentee ballots are sent starting the first day of early voting on April 7. Click here to see a sample of your ballot.
Voters must return their absentee ballots to the board of elections in the county in which they are registered.
You can track the status of your absentee ballot. If you believe your ballot may have been lost in the mail, contact your county board of elections. The board can mark an already mailed absentee ballot as void and send a new one.
Military and overseas absentee voting begins on March 20.
In-person voting
Polls open in Ohio at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. on May 5. You can prepare by viewing a sample of your ballot.
Your polling location depends on where you live, and it might not be the closest polling location to your physical address. Find your official polling location on the Ohio Secretary of State website.
Do I need an ID?
Yes. The State of Ohio requires voters to bring an acceptable form of identification to the polls to vote. Acceptable forms of ID must include an expiration date that has not passed, a photo of the voter and the voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the name that appears in the poll list or in the poll book.
Several types of acceptable ID include:
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A U.S. passport
- A U.S. passport card
- U.S. military ID card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
Ohioans who are 17 years and older who do not have a valid driver's license can receive a state ID card at no cost from the BMV.
If you do not bring an acceptable form of ID or if your eligibility is in question, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
Voting provisionally means election officials need to double-check your eligibility. To do so, you must visit your county's board of elections within four days after Election Day to provide identification so your vote can be counted in the final election totals.
Election officials are also required to attempt to contact voters by mail, phone or email to resolve any issues with their ballots.
Voters with disabilities
Any Ohio voter with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act can request an absentee ballot to complete through the accessible absentee voting system.
For in-person voting, all polling places must have at least one accessible voting machine available for people with disabilities, such as visually impaired voters, according to federal law.
What if I'm in the hospital?
If you or your minor child are in the hospital on Election Day, you must submit a properly completed and signed request to the board of elections of the county of your voting residence by 3 p.m. on Election Day.
To be eligible under this provision, you or your minor child must be confined in a hospital because of an accident or unforeseen medical emergency.
If you or your minor child are hospitalized in the same county where you are registered to vote, two representatives of the board of elections can deliver the ballot to you, wait while you mark the ballot and return your voted ballot to the board office.
Additionally, you may include a request in your absentee ballot application for your county board of elections to give your unmarked ballot to a designated relative who can deliver the ballot to you in the hospital and return your voted ballot to the board office.
Visit the Secretary of State's website to complete a Hospitalized Absentee Ballot Request Form.
