How to Vote Early in Dayton, Ohio

I am a big fan of voting early versus waiting until the day of an election for so many reasons. Here’s how I vote early.

1. Prep with your sample ballot

You can access your sample ballot at VoteOhio.gov. The reason I like to see it ahead of time is because I know there will be candidates and issues on the ballot I’m already prepared to vote on, but there are always local issues and candidates I might not know as much about yet. This gives me a chance to search for more info and make my decision before I’m at the polls.

2. Look up the issues and learn more about candidates

Good places to check for information about issues and candidates in your local elections are League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area Voters Guide and Dayton Daily News Voter Guide. Both send questions to the candidates and post the answers in these guides.

If you’re still unsure about any of these choices, it’s always 100% ok to not vote on the issue or candidates in question.

I fill out my sample ballot and bring it with me to the Board of Elections or I jot down notes in my phone or a notebook.

3. Head to the Board of Elections

For information on where your county’s Board of Elections is located, visit VoteOhio.gov.

Mine is Montgomery County, so I head downtown to cast my ballot. Parking is in a covered parking garage on 2nd Street, and it’s free.

When you arrive, sometimes the line can start outside – but don’t worry, it’s covered and it moves pretty quickly. In fact, I’m always surprised how fast the whole process is even when there’s a long line.

They have tape on the ground to guide you where to go. There are escalators that take you down to the basement level where they have the voting machines and tables set up. When you check in, they’ll give you a sticker or ticket to validate your parking.

4. Vote and take a selfie!

Voting on the voting machines is pretty simple. You’ll have a chance to review all of your selections before you submit your vote.

When you’re done, you still get a sticker just like voting the day of the election. Voting at the Montgomery County Board of Elections has the added bonus of a little selfie station! It’s a great chance to commemorate the occasion.

When I asked about the selfie wall one year, I was told that it helps encourage people to take a selfie a distance away from the voting machines, because it’s hard not to accidentally have other people and their screens in the shot if you snap a photo there, and not everyone is comfortable with that.

5. Celebrate doing your civic duty at a Dayton restaurant

A big perk of voting downtown is that it places you around several great places to eat or grab a coffee, snack, or drink. Plus, it’s a great way to show off your voting sticker.

What to Know about Voting Early in Ohio

What are the hours for early voting 2024?

You can find out the hours for Ohio’s voting schedule at VoteOhio.gov.

From Monday, October 28 – Friday, November 1, early voting hours are 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. daily.

Saturday, November 2, early voting hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sunday, November 3, early voting hours are 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Monday, November 4, there are no early voting hours.

Tuesday, November 5 is the General Election. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. You will need to vote at your designated polling location, which you can find here: Voter Lookup.

What do I bring for early voting?

In Ohio, we need the following to vote:

• A federal or state-issued photo ID – Read all of the info about what IDs are valid to make sure you have what you need at OhioSOS.gov.

Other than your required valid ID, I like to make sure I have my sample ballot or any notes I need.

And the best thing to bring to early voting? A friend!

How do I know where to vote on election day in Ohio?

Voting the day of the election is a great choice, too. Keep in mind, you’ll need to know where your voting location is ahead of time. Use the Voter Lookup to find out where you’ll need to go.

You’ll need your federal or state-issued ID with you to vote. If you don’t have one with you, you can request a provisional ballot.

And the polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

If I’m still in line to vote on Election Day and the polls close, what should I do?

Stay in line. You’ll be able to vote so long as you were already in line when the polls closed.