Chapter 3509 | Absent Voter's Ballots

Section 3509.01 | Absent voter's ballot procedures.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The board of elections of each county shall provide absent voter's ballots for use at every primary and general election, or special election to be held on the day specified by division (E) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code for the holding of a primary election, designated by the general assembly for the purpose of submitting constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly to the voters of the state. Those ballots shall be the same size, shall be printed on the same kind of paper, and shall be in the same form as has been approved for use at the election for which those ballots are to be voted; except that, in counties using marking devices, ballot cards may be used for absent voter's ballots, and those absent voters shall be instructed to record the vote in the manner provided on the ballot cards.

(B) The rotation of names of candidates and questions and issues shall be substantially complied with on absent voter's ballots, within the limitation of time allotted. Those ballots shall be designated as "Absent Voter's Ballots." Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, those ballots shall be printed and ready for use as follows:

(1) For overseas voters and absent uniformed services voters eligible to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, Pub. L. No. 99-410, 100 Stat. 924, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff, et seq., as amended, ballots shall be printed and ready for use other than in person on the forty-sixth day before the day of the election.

(2) For all other voters, ballots shall be printed and ready for use on the first day after the close of voter registration before the election.

(C) Absent voter's ballots provided for use at a general or primary election, or special election to be held on the day specified by division (E) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code for the holding of a primary election, designated by the general assembly for the purpose of submitting constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly to the voters of the state, shall include only those questions, issues, and candidacies that have been lawfully ordered submitted to the electors voting at that election.

(D) If the laws governing the holding of a special election on a day other than the day on which a primary or general election is held make it impossible for absent voter's ballots to be printed and ready for use by the deadlines established in division (B) of this section, absent voter's ballots for those special elections shall be ready for use as many days before the day of the election as reasonably possible under the laws governing the holding of that special election.

(E) A copy of the absent voter's ballots shall be forwarded by the director of the board in each county to the secretary of state at least twenty-five days before the election.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:02 PM

Section 3509.02 | Qualifications for voting by absent voter's ballot.

• Effective: August 15, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 295 - 129th General Assembly

(A) Any qualified elector may vote by absent voter's ballots at an election.

(B) Any qualified elector who is unable to appear at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location on account of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity, and who moves from one precinct to another within a county, changes the elector's name and moves from one precinct to another within a county, or moves from one county to another county within the state, on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of residence or change of name may vote by absent voter's ballots in that election as specified in division (G) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code.

Section 3509.021 | Identification envelopes containing absent voter's ballots for former resident voters in presidential elections.

• Effective: October 27, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 224 - 129th General Assembly

All identification envelopes containing absent voter's ballots for former resident voters who are entitled to vote for presidential and vice-presidential electors only, shall have printed or stamped thereon the words, "Presidential Ballot."

Section 3509.03 | Application for absent voter's ballot.

• Effective: April 9, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 74 - 135th General Assembly

(A) Except as otherwise provided in sections 3509.051, 3511.02, and 3511.021 of the Revised Code, any qualified elector desiring to vote absent voter's ballots at an election shall deliver a written application for those ballots, either in person or by mail, to the board of elections of the county in which the elector's voting residence is located.

(B) Except as otherwise permitted under section 3511.02 of the Revised Code and under division (C) of this section, the application shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain all of the following:

(1) The elector's name;

(2) The elector's signature;

(3) The address at which the elector is registered to vote;

(4) The elector's date of birth;

(5) One of the following:

(a) The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(b) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

(c) A copy of the elector's photo identification.

(6) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;

(7) A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified elector;

(8) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;

(9) If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the address to which those ballots shall be mailed.

(C) If the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the elector may provide the elector's program participant identification number instead of the address at which the elector is registered to vote.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in division (A) of section 3509.051 and in division (B) of section 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an application to receive absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the office of the board not earlier than the first day of January of the year of the elections for which the absent voter's ballots are requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier, and not later than the close of business on the seventh day before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted.

(E) Except as permitted under section 111.31 of the Revised Code, no public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an official capacity, shall do either of the following:

(1) Prepay the return postage for an application for absent voter's ballots;

(2) Mail or otherwise deliver an unsolicited application for absent voter's ballots to any person.

(F)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(2) of this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, no person shall preprint or fill out any portion of an application for absent voter's ballots on behalf of an applicant.

(2) The secretary of state or a board of elections may preprint only an applicant's name and address on an application for absent voter's ballots before mailing that application to the applicant, except that if the applicant has a confidential voter registration record, the secretary of state or a board of elections shall not preprint the applicant's address on the application.

(3) A completed application for absent voter's ballots is not valid if any portion of it has been completed by any person other than the applicant in violation of division (F) of this section.

Last updated January 17, 2025 at 11:17 AM

Section 3509.04 | Delivery of absent voter's ballot.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) If a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's ballots that does not contain all of the required information or is not submitted on an appropriate form, the board promptly shall notify the applicant of the additional information required to be provided by the applicant to complete that application, direct the applicant to use an appropriate form, or both, as applicable.

(B) Upon receipt by the board of elections of an application for absent voter's ballots that contains all of the required information and is submitted on an appropriate form, as provided by section 3509.03 and division (G) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code, the board, if the board finds that the applicant is a qualified elector, shall deliver to the applicant in person or mail directly to the applicant by special delivery mail, air mail, or regular mail, postage prepaid, proper absent voter's ballots. The board shall deliver or mail with the ballots an unsealed identification envelope upon the face of which shall be printed a form substantially as follows:

"Identification Envelope Statement of Voter

I, ________________________(Name of voter), declare under penalty of election falsification that the within ballot or ballots contained no voting marks of any kind when I received them, and I caused the ballot or ballots to be marked, enclosed in the identification envelope, and sealed in that envelope.

My voting residence in Ohio is

________________________________________________________________

(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number)

of ________________________________ (City, Village, or Township) Ohio, which is in Ward _____________ Precinct ________________ in that city, village, or township.

If I have a confidential voter registration record, I am providing my program participant identification number instead of my residence address: ________________________

The primary election ballots, if any, within this envelope are primary election ballots of the _____________ Party.

Ballots contained within this envelope are to be voted at the __________ (general, special, or primary) election to be held on the __________________________ day of ______________________, ____.

My date of birth is _______________ (Month and Day), __________ (Year).

(Voter must provide one of the following:)

My Ohio driver's license or state identification card number is _______________ (Driver's license or state identification card number).

The last four digits of my Social Security Number are _______________ (Last four digits of Social Security Number).

______ In lieu of providing a driver's license or state identification card number or the last four digits of my Social Security Number, I am enclosing a copy of my photo identification in the return envelope in which this identification envelope will be mailed.

I hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, that the statements above are true, as I verily believe.

_________________________

(Signature of Voter)

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."

The board shall mail with the ballots and the unsealed identification envelope an unsealed return envelope upon the face of which shall be printed the post-office address of the board. In the upper left corner on the face of the return envelope, several blank lines shall be printed upon which the voter may write the voter's name and return address. The return envelope shall be of such size that the identification envelope can be conveniently placed within it for returning the identification envelope to the board.

No public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an official capacity, shall prepay the return postage for any absent voter's ballots.

Except as otherwise provided in this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an election official shall not fill out any portion of an identification envelope statement of voter or an absent voter's ballot on behalf of an elector. A board of elections may preprint only an elector's name and address on an identification envelope statement of voter before mailing absent voter's ballots to the elector, except that if the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the board of elections shall not preprint the elector's address on the identification envelope statement of voter.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:03 PM

Section 3509.05 | Voting and return procedure.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) When an elector receives an absent voter's ballot pursuant to the elector's application or request, the elector shall, before placing any marks on the ballot, note whether there are any voting marks on it. If there are any voting marks, the ballot shall be returned immediately to the board of elections; otherwise, the elector shall cause the ballot to be marked, folded in a manner that the stub on it and the indorsements and facsimile signatures of the members of the board of elections on the back of it are visible, and placed and sealed within the identification envelope received from the board of elections for that purpose. Then, the elector shall cause the statement of voter on the outside of the identification envelope to be completed and signed, under penalty of election falsification.

(B) The elector shall provide one of the following:

(1) The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number on the statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(2) The last four digits of the elector's social security number on the statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(3) A copy of the elector's photo identification in the return envelope with the identification envelope.

(C)(1) The elector shall mail the identification envelope to the office of the board of elections in the return envelope, postage prepaid, or the elector may personally deliver it to the office of the board, or the spouse of the elector, the father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the elector may deliver it to the office of the board. The return envelope shall be returned by no other person, in no other manner, and to no other location, except as otherwise provided in section 3509.08 of the Revised Code.

(2) If the board maintains multiple offices in the county, as permitted under division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code, the board may designate any of its offices for the return of absent voter's ballots under this section, provided that the board shall designate only one office to which absent voter's ballots shall be returned under this section.

(3)(a) The board of elections may place not more than one secure receptacle outside the office of the board, on the property on which the office of the board is located, for the purpose of receiving absent voter's ballots under this section.

(b) A secure receptacle shall be open to receive ballots only during the period beginning on the first day after the close of voter registration before the election and ending at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election. The receptacle shall be open to receive ballots at all times during that period.

(c) A secure receptacle shall be monitored by recorded video surveillance at all times. The video recordings are a public record. The board shall do one of the following:

(i) Make the video recordings available for inspection upon request in accordance with section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(ii) Make each day's video recording available to the public on the internet for streaming or download without charge within seventy-two hours after the recording ends and make the video recordings available to the public upon request in accordance with section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(d) Only a bipartisan team of election officials may open a secure receptacle or handle its contents. A bipartisan team of election officials shall collect the contents of each secure receptacle and deliver them to the board for processing at least once each day and at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election. If, at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election, there are persons waiting in line to deposit absent voter's ballots in a receptacle, those persons shall be permitted to deposit the ballots.

(4)(a) During the period beginning on the forty-fifth day before election day and ending on the day after election day, on each day the office of the board of elections is open for business, the board shall report to the secretary of state all of the following information concerning the previous business day:

(i) The number of return envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots or uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots the board received by personal delivery, other than to a receptacle described in division (C)(3) of this section;

(ii) If the board has placed a secure receptacle outside the office of the board under division (C)(3) of this section, the number of return envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots or uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots the board received in the receptacle.

(b) As soon as practicable after receiving a report under division (C)(4)(a) of this section, the secretary of state shall make the information in the report available to the public on the secretary of state's official web site.

(D)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(2) of this section, all envelopes containing marked absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the office of the board not later than the close of the polls on the day of an election. Absent voter's ballots delivered to the office of the board later than the times specified shall not be counted, but shall be kept by the board in the sealed identification envelopes in which they are delivered, until the time provided by section 3505.31 of the Revised Code for the destruction of all other ballots used at the election for which ballots were provided, at which time they shall be destroyed.

(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(2)(b) of this section, any return envelope that is postmarked prior to the day of the election shall be delivered to the director prior to the fifth day after the election. Ballots delivered in envelopes postmarked prior to the day of the election that are received after the close of the polls on election day through the fourth day thereafter shall be counted on the fifth day at the board of elections in the manner provided in divisions (C) and (D) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code or in the manner provided in division (E) of that section, as applicable. Any such ballots that are received by the director later than the fourth day following the election shall not be counted, but shall be kept by the board in the sealed identification envelopes as provided in division (A) of this section.

(b) Division (D)(2)(a) of this section shall not apply to any mail that is postmarked using a postage evidencing system, including a postage meter, as defined in 39 C.F.R. 501.1.

Last updated September 6, 2023 at 10:00 AM

Section 3509.051 | Casting absent voter's ballots in person.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

An elector may appear at the office of the board of elections to cast absent voter's ballots in person instead of applying for those ballots under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 3509.05 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, all of the following shall apply to the casting of absent voter's ballots in person:

(A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, in-person absent voting shall be permitted only during the period beginning on the first day after the close of voter registration before the election and ending at five p.m. on the Sunday before the day of the election.

(2) If, at the time for the close of in-person absent voting on a particular day, there are voters waiting in line to cast their ballots, the in-person absent voting location shall be kept open until such waiting voters have cast their absent voter's ballots.

(B) An in-person absent voter shall provide photo identification to the election officials, sign a poll list or signature pollbook, and cast a ballot in the same manner as a voter who casts a ballot in person on the day of an election under section 3505.18 of the Revised Code.

The absent voter shall not be required to complete a written application for absent voter's ballots or a statement of voter on an absent voter's ballot identification envelope.

(C) No person other than an election official shall be permitted to challenge the right to vote of an absent voter who is casting a ballot in person. An election official may challenge the right to vote of an absent voter who is casting a ballot in person in the same manner as a precinct election official may challenge the right to vote of an elector on the day of an election under section 3505.20 or 3513.19 of the Revised Code.

(D) An individual who appears to cast absent voter's ballots in person and is eligible to cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code shall be permitted to do so as though the individual had appeared at a polling place on the day of the election.

(E) No absent voter may receive a replacement ballot after the voter's absent voter's ballot has been scanned or entered into automatic tabulating equipment.

(F) Ballots cast under this section, other than provisional ballots, may be recorded by a voting machine or scanned by automatic tabulating equipment before the close of the polls on the day of the election, but the board of elections shall not tabulate or count the votes on those ballots before that time.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:04 PM

Section 3509.06 | Counting absent voters' ballots.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The board of elections shall determine whether absent voter's ballots cast under section 3503.16, 3509.05, 3509.08, or 3511.09 of the Revised Code shall be processed and counted in each precinct, at the office of the board, or at some other location designated by the board, and shall proceed accordingly under division (B), (C), or (E) of this section, as applicable.

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, when the board of elections determines that those absent voter's ballots shall be processed and counted in each precinct, the board shall deliver to the voting location manager of each precinct on election day identification envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots of electors whose voting residence appears from the statement of voter on the outside of each of those envelopes, to be located in that manager's precinct, and which were received by the board not later than the close of the polls on election day. The board shall deliver to the voting location manager a list containing the name and voting residence of each person whose voting residence is in such precinct to whom absent voter's ballots were mailed.

(2) The board shall not deliver to the voting location manager identification envelopes cast by electors who provided a program participant identification number instead of a residence address on the identification envelope and shall not inform the voting location manager of the names and voting residences of persons who have confidential voter registration records. Those identification envelopes shall be examined and processed as described in division (E) of this section.

(C) When the board of elections determines that those absent voter's ballots shall be processed and counted at the office of the board of elections or at another location designated by the board, special election officials shall be appointed by the board for that purpose having the same authority as is exercised by precinct election officials. The votes so cast shall be added to the vote totals by the board, and the absent voter's ballots shall be preserved separately by the board, in the same manner and for the same length of time as provided by section 3505.31 of the Revised Code.

(D) Each of the identification envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots delivered to the voting location manager of the precinct or the special election official appointed by the board of elections shall be handled as follows:

(1) The election officials shall compare the signature of the elector on the outside of the identification envelope with the signature of that elector on the elector's registration form and verify that the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted under section 3509.07 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) Any of the precinct officials may challenge the right of the elector named on the identification envelope to vote the absent voter's ballots upon the ground that the signature on the envelope is not the same as the signature on the registration form, that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete, or upon any other of the grounds upon which the right of persons to vote may be lawfully challenged.

(b) If the elector's name does not appear in the pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook, the precinct officials shall deliver the absent voter's ballots to the director of the board of elections to be examined and processed in the manner described in division (E) of this section.

(3)(a) An identification envelope statement of voter shall be considered incomplete if it does not include all of the following:

(i) The voter's name;

(ii) The voter's residence address or, if the voter has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the voter's program participant identification number;

(iii) The voter's date of birth. The requirements of this division are satisfied if the voter provided a date of birth and any of the following is true:

(I) The month and day of the voter's date of birth on the identification envelope statement of voter are not different from the month and day of the voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter registration database.

(II) The voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter registration database is January 1, 1800.

(III) The board of elections has found, by a vote of at least three of its members, that the voter has met the requirements of divisions (D)(3)(a)(i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of this section.

(iv) The voter's signature; and

(v) One of the following forms of identification:

(I) The voter's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(II) The last four digits of the voter's social security number; or

(III) A copy of the voter's photo identification.

(b) If the election officials find that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete or that the information contained in that statement does not conform to the information contained in the statewide voter registration database concerning the voter, the election officials shall mail a written notice to the voter, informing the voter of the nature of the defect. The notice shall inform the voter that in order for the voter's ballot to be counted, the voter must provide the necessary information to the board of elections in writing and on a form prescribed by the secretary of state not later than the fourth day after the day of the election. The voter may deliver the form to the office of the board in person or by mail. If the voter provides the necessary information to the board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the election and the ballot is not successfully challenged on another basis, the voter's ballot shall be processed and counted in accordance with this section.

(4) If no such challenge is made, or if such a challenge is made and not sustained, the voting location manager shall open the envelope without defacing the statement of voter and without mutilating the ballots in it, and shall remove the ballots contained in it and proceed to count them.

(5)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(5)(b) of this section, the name of each person voting who is entitled to vote only an absent voter's presidential ballot shall be entered in a pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook followed by the words "Absentee Presidential Ballot." The name of each person voting an absent voter's ballot, other than such persons entitled to vote only a presidential ballot, shall be entered in the pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook and the person's registration card marked to indicate that the person has voted.

(b) If the person voting has a confidential voter registration record, the person's registration card shall be marked to indicate that the person has voted, but the person's name shall not be entered in the pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook.

(6) The date of such election shall also be entered on the elector's registration form. If any such challenge is made and sustained, the identification envelope of such elector shall not be opened, shall be endorsed "Not Counted" with the reasons the ballots were not counted, and shall be delivered to the board.

(E)(1) When the board of elections receives absent voter's ballots from an elector who has provided a program participant identification number instead of a residence address on the identification envelope statement of voter, the director and the deputy director personally shall examine and process the identification envelope statement of voter in the manner prescribed in division (D) of this section.

(2) If the director and the deputy director find that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete or that the information contained in that statement does not conform to the information contained in the statewide voter registration database concerning the voter or to the information contained in the voter's confidential voter registration record, the director and the deputy director shall mail a written notice to the voter informing the voter of the nature of the defect. The notice shall inform the voter that in order for the voter's ballot to be counted the voter must provide the necessary information to the board of elections in writing and on a form prescribed by the secretary of state not later than the fourth day after the day of the election. The voter may deliver the form to the office of the board in person or by mail. If the voter provides the necessary information to the board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the election and the ballot is not successfully challenged on another basis, the voter's ballot shall be counted in accordance with this section.

(3) The director or the deputy director may challenge the ballot on the ground that the signature on the envelope is not the same as the signature on the registration form, that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete, or upon any other of the grounds upon which the right of persons to vote may be lawfully challenged. If such a challenge is made, the board of elections shall decide whether to sustain the challenge.

(4) If neither the director nor the deputy director challenges the ballot, or if such a challenge is made and not sustained, the director and the deputy director shall open the envelope without defacing the statement of voter and without mutilating the ballots in it, shall remove the ballots contained in it, and shall transmit the ballots to the election officials to be counted with other absent voter's ballots from that precinct.

(F) The board of elections shall process absent voter's ballots before the time for counting those ballots, but the board shall not tabulate or count the votes on those ballots before that time. As used in this section and section 3511.11 of the Revised Code, processing an absent voter's ballot means all of the following:

(1) Examining the identification envelope statement of voter in order to verify that the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted under section 3509.07 of the Revised Code;

(2) Opening the identification envelope, if the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted;

(3) Determining the validity of the absent voter's ballot under section 3509.07 of the Revised Code;

(4) Preparing and sorting the absent voter's ballot for scanning by automatic tabulating equipment;

(5) Scanning the absent voter's ballot by automatic tabulating equipment, if the equipment used by the board of elections permits an absent voter's ballot to be scanned without tabulating or counting the votes on the ballots scanned.

(G) Special election officials, employees or members of the board of elections, or observers shall not disclose the count or any portion of the count of absent voter's ballots prior to the time of the closing of the polling places. No person shall recklessly disclose the count or any portion of the count of absent voter's ballots in such a manner as to jeopardize the secrecy of any individual ballot.

(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of this section, observers may be appointed under section 3505.21 of the Revised Code to witness the examination and opening of identification envelopes and the processing and counting of absent voters' ballots under this section.

(2) Observers shall not be permitted to witness the examination and opening of identification envelopes returned by, and the processing and counting of absent voter's ballots cast by, electors who have confidential voter registration records in a manner that would permit the observers to learn the identities or residence addresses of those electors.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:04 PM

Section 3509.07 | Rejection and challenge of absent voter ballots.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

If election officials find that any of the following are true concerning an absent voter's ballot or absent voter's presidential ballot cast under section 3503.16, 3509.05, 3509.08, or 3511.09 of the Revised Code and, if applicable, the person did not provide any required additional information to the board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the election, as permitted under division (D)(3)(b) or (E)(2) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code, the ballot shall not be accepted or counted:

(A) The statement accompanying the ballot is incomplete as described in division (D)(3)(a) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code or is insufficient;

(B) The signatures do not correspond with the person's registration signature;

(C) The applicant is not a qualified elector in the precinct;

(D) The ballot envelope contains more than one ballot of any one kind, or any voted ballot that the elector is not entitled to vote;

(E) Stub A is detached from the absent voter's ballot or absent voter's presidential ballot; or

(F) The elector has not included with the elector's ballot any identification required under section 3509.05 or 3511.09 of the Revised Code.

The vote of any absent voter may be challenged for cause in the same manner as other votes are challenged, and the election officials shall determine the legality of that ballot. Every ballot not counted shall be endorsed on its back "Not Counted" with the reasons the ballot was not counted, and shall be enclosed and returned to or retained by the board of elections along with the contested ballots.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:05 PM

Section 3509.08 | Disabled and confined absent voter's ballots.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Any qualified elector, who, on account of the elector's own personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity, or on account of the elector's confinement in a jail or workhouse under sentence for a misdemeanor or awaiting trial on a felony or misdemeanor, will be unable to travel from the elector's home or place of confinement to the voting booth in the elector's precinct on the day of any general, special, or primary election may make application in writing for an absent voter's ballot to the board of elections of the elector's county in the manner described in section 3509.03 of the Revised Code. The application shall state the nature of the elector's illness, physical disability, or infirmity, or the fact that the elector is confined in a jail or workhouse and the elector's resultant inability to travel to the election booth in the elector's precinct on election day.

The absent voter's ballot may be mailed directly to the applicant at the applicant's voting residence or place of confinement as stated in the applicant's application, or the board may designate two board employees belonging to the two major political parties for the purpose of delivering the ballot to the disabled or confined elector and returning it to the board, unless the applicant is confined to a public or private institution within the county, in which case the board shall designate two board employees belonging to the two major political parties for the purpose of delivering the ballot to the disabled or confined elector and returning it to the board. In all other instances, the ballot shall be returned to the office of the board in the manner prescribed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code.

Any disabled or confined elector who declares to the two board employees belonging to the two major political parties that the elector is unable to mark the elector's ballot by reason of physical infirmity that is apparent to the employees to be sufficient to incapacitate the voter from marking the elector's ballot properly, may receive, upon request, the assistance of the employees in marking the elector's ballot, and they shall thereafter give no information in regard to this matter. Such assistance shall not be rendered for any other cause.

When two board employees belonging to the two major political parties deliver a ballot to a disabled or confined elector, each of the employees shall be present when the ballot is delivered, when assistance is given, and when the ballot is returned to the office of the board, and shall subscribe to the declaration on the identification envelope.

The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of application for absent voter's ballots under this division.

This chapter applies to disabled and confined absent voter's ballots except as otherwise provided in this section.

(B)(1) Any qualified elector who is unable to travel to the voting booth in the elector's precinct on the day of any general, special, or primary election may apply to the board of elections of the county where the elector is a qualified elector to vote in the election by absent voter's ballot if either of the following apply:

(a) The elector is confined in a hospital as a result of an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring before the election;

(b) The elector's minor child is confined in a hospital as a result of an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring before the election.

(2) The application authorized under division (B)(1) of this section shall be made in writing in the manner described in section 3509.03 of the Revised Code, except that the application shall be delivered to the office of the board not later than three p.m. on the day of the election. The application shall indicate the hospital where the applicant or the applicant's child is confined, the date of the applicant's or the applicant's child's admission to the hospital, and the offices for which the applicant is qualified to vote. The applicant may also request that a member of the applicant's family, as listed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code, deliver the absent voter's ballot to the applicant. The board, after establishing to the board's satisfaction the validity of the circumstances claimed by the applicant, shall supply an absent voter's ballot to be delivered to the applicant. When the applicant or the applicant's child is in a hospital in the county where the applicant is a qualified elector and no request is made for a member of the family to deliver the ballot, the board shall arrange for the delivery of an absent voter's ballot to the applicant, and for its return to the office of the board, by two board employees belonging to the two major political parties according to the procedures prescribed in division (A) of this section. When the applicant or the applicant's child is in a hospital outside the county where the applicant is a qualified elector and no request is made for a member of the family to deliver the ballot, the board shall arrange for the delivery of an absent voter's ballot to the applicant by mail, and the ballot shall be returned to the office of the board in the manner prescribed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code.

(3) Any qualified elector who is eligible to vote under division (B) or (C) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code but is unable to do so because of the circumstances described in division (B)(2) of this section may vote in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section if that qualified elector states in the application for absent voter's ballots that that qualified elector moved or had a change of name under the circumstances described in division (B) or (C) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and if that qualified elector complies with divisions (G)(1) to (4) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code.

(C) Any qualified elector described in division (A) or (B)(1) of this section who needs no assistance to vote or to return absent voter's ballots to the board of elections may apply for absent voter's ballots under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code instead of applying for them under this section or may cast absent voter's ballots in person under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code.

(D) Any qualified elector described in division (A) or (B)(1) of this section to whom ballots are delivered by two employees of the board of elections or who votes with the assistance of two employees of the board of elections shall be considered to have cast absent voter's ballots by mail, rather than in person, for the purpose of the laws governing voter identification.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:05 PM

Section 3509.09 | Poll list to identify electors requesting absent voter's ballot.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The poll list or signature pollbook for each precinct shall identify each registered elector in that precinct who has requested an absent voter's ballot for that election or cast absent voter's ballots in person under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code, other than an elector who has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code.

(B) If a registered elector appears to vote and that elector has requested or cast an absent voter's ballot for that election, the elector shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) In counting absent voter's ballots under section 3509.06 of the Revised Code, the board of elections shall compare the signature of each elector from whom the board has received a sealed identification envelope purporting to contain that elector's voted absent voter's ballots for that election to the signature on that elector's registration form. Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3) of this section, if the board of elections determines that the absent voter's ballot in the sealed identification envelope is valid, it shall be counted. If the board of elections determines that the signature on the sealed identification envelope purporting to contain the elector's voted absent voter's ballot does not match the signature on the elector's registration form, the ballot shall be set aside and the board shall examine, during the time prior to the beginning of the official canvass, the poll list or signature pollbook from the precinct in which the elector is registered to vote to determine if the elector also cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(2) The board of elections shall count the provisional ballot, instead of the absent voter's ballot, if both of the following apply:

(a) The board of elections determines that the signature of the elector on the outside of the identification envelope in which the absent voter's ballots are enclosed does not match the signature of the elector on the elector's registration form;

(b) The elector cast a provisional ballot in the election.

(3) If the board of elections does not receive the sealed identification envelope purporting to contain the elector's voted absent voter's ballot by the applicable deadline established under section 3509.05 of the Revised Code, the provisional ballot cast under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code shall be counted as valid, if that provisional ballot is otherwise determined to be valid pursuant to section 3505.183 of the Revised Code.

(D) If the board of elections counts a provisional ballot under division (C)(2) or (3) of this section, the returned identification envelope of that elector shall not be opened, and the ballot within that envelope shall not be counted. The identification envelope shall be endorsed "Not Counted" with the reason the ballot was not counted.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:06 PM

Section 3509.10 | Uniformed services and overseas absent voters.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

If a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's ballots under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code and it is apparent to the board that the absent voter is a uniformed services voter or overseas voter, as defined in section 3511.01 of the Revised Code, the board shall consider that applicant to have applied for uniformed services or overseas ballots under Chapter 3511. of the Revised Code and shall provide those ballots to that voter in accordance with the timelines and procedures applicable to uniformed services and overseas absent voters.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:07 PM