Voting in the Valley: What you need to know

With early-in person voting over, the only way to have a say on the candidates now is either to turn in your absentee ballot to your local board of election by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, or show up at the polls to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by Monday, November 3, 2024

When do I vote?

In Ohio, Election Day polls are open from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm on Nov. 5, 2024

In Pennsylvania, Election Day polls are open from 7 am until 8 pm on Nov. 5, 2024

Where do I vote on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, Election Day?

In Ohio, you can find your polling location by following this link

In Pennsylvania, you can find your polling location by following this link

What's on my ballot?

Ohio - Mahoning County sample ballot

Ohio - Trumbull County candidates and issues

Ohio - Columbiana County candidates and issues

Pennsylvania - Mercer County - What's on the ballot?

Do registered voters need to produce ID to vote?

OHIO

Yes, you need identification to vote

Ohio Voter Identification Requirements / Types of Valid ID

There are several types of valid photo identification.

Ohio driver's license

State of Ohio ID card

Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV

A US passport

A US passport card

US military ID card

Ohio National Guard ID card; or

US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

All photo IDs must have the following:

• An expiration date that has not passed
• A photograph of the voter
• The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book

NOTICE: An unexpired Ohio Driver License, State ID Card, or Interim Documentation with your former address is an acceptable form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook.

The BMV issues Ohio Interim Documentation until the applicant receives their new ID through the mail. A driver’s license or state identification card in the old or new format, the Ohio Interim Documentation, and a voter’s old, hole-punched driver’s license or state ID card are acceptable forms of identification for voting, as long as the expiration date has not passed.

If the voter changed their name and provides proof of the legal name change, completes and signs Form 10-L, and is registered within the precinct, the voter’s name on the photo ID may be different from the voter’s reported change of name.

NOTICE:  A voter who moves within the precinct (and completes a Voter Registration Form) or provides proof of legal name change (and completes Form 10-L) votes a regular ballot.

Unacceptable Types of ID in Ohio

Ohio law prohibits acceptance of the following forms of ID:

Utility bill

Bank statement

Government check

Paycheck

Other government document (other than acceptable forms listed above) such as a social security card or birth certificate

Driver’s license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio

A driver’s license or ID that contains a “Non-Renewable/Non-Transferable” identifier

A driver’s license or ID that contains a “Noncitizen” identifier may be used in conjunction with additional proof of citizenship.

Ohio Mobile ID

Insurance card; or

Any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections.

Provisional ballots

If you do not provide one of the above forms of photo ID, you will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot. However, for that ballot to be counted, you must return to the board of elections no later than four days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification. If you do not have a photo ID because of a religious objection to being photographed, you may complete an affidavit of religious objection and have your provisional ballot count.

Provisional ballot is used to record a vote if a voter's eligibility is in question and the voter would otherwise not be permitted to vote at his or her polling place. The content of a provisional ballot is no different from a regular ballot, but it is cast "provisionally" until election officials can verify the voter's eligibility to vote in the particular precinct at that election.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania voters do not need to show photo identification at the polling place unless they are first time voters at that polling place.

Poll workers should not ask every voter for photo identification.

If a voter is voting for the first time in an election district, the voter must show proof of identification, either photo or non-photo identification. Returning voters need not show any identification unless otherwise noted in the poll book.

Forms of photo identification include:

Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card

ID issued by any Commonwealth agency

ID issued by the U.S. Government

U.S. passport

U.S. Armed Forces ID

Student ID

Employee ID

A non-photo identification that includes the voter’s name and address is also acceptable.

Forms of non-photo identification include:

Voter registration card issued by the County Voter Registration Office

Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government

Non-photo ID issued by any agency of the Commonwealth or U.S. Government

Firearm permit

Current utility bill

Current bank statement

Paycheck

Government check

If you are a registered voter in Pennsylvania but your eligibility to vote at your polling place is uncertain, you have the right to vote a provisional ballot.

What is a provisional ballot?

Sometimes county elections officials need more time to determine a voter's eligibility to vote. Election officials may ask that voter to vote a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot records your vote while the county board of elections determines whether it can be counted.

You may be issued a provisional ballot for the reasons below:

Your name was not in the poll book or supplemental poll book.

You reported to the wrong precinct

You did not report a recent change in residence to the county election office.

You are required to show ID, but cannot show ID.

Your eligibility was challenged by an election official.

You were issued an absentee or mail-in ballot but believe you did not successfully vote that ballot, and you do not surrender your ballot and outer return envelope at the polling place to be spoiled.

You returned a completed absentee or mail-in ballot that was rejected, or you believe will be rejected, by the county board of elections and you believe you are eligible to vote.

There is a special court order with respect to your registration status.

There is a special court order related to extending the hours of voting.

You believe that you are registered in a political party, but your voter record indicates otherwise (for primary elections only).

How do I vote a provisional ballot?

If you vote by provisional ballot, you will be asked to follow these instructions:

Complete the sections on the provisional envelope labeled Voter Information, Voter Affidavit for Provisional Ballot, and Current Address in front of election officials.

Mark your provisional ballot in an accessible and private area of the polling place.

Seal your provisional ballot in the secrecy envelope.

Seal the secrecy envelope in the provisional ballot affidavit envelope.

Fill out the Voter Signature section on the provisional ballot envelope in front of polling place election officials.

Return the sealed provisional ballot affidavit envelope to a polling place election official.

Receive your provisional ballot identification receipt.

How are provisional ballots counted?

Within 7 days after the election, the county board of elections will decide whether you were eligible to vote at the election district where you voted the provisional ballot. If you were eligible, they will count your provisional ballot.

How do I find out if my ballot counted?

You may find out if your provisional ballot counted, partially counted or did not count beginning 7 days after the election.

If your provisional ballot was not counted, you can find out why by:

Searching for your provisional ballot online

Calling 1-877-VOTESPA.

You must provide your provisional ballot identification number, which is on your provisional ballot identification receipt.