Get a Ballot

The 2020 primary in Ohio has moved to vote by mail through absentee ballots. This means voting in Franklin County is now a two-step process:

  1. Request an absentee ballot from the Franklin County Board of Elections or the Ohio Secretary of State.
  2. Receive your absentee ballot, fill it in with your vote, and send it to the Franklin County Board of Elections.

Request an Absentee Ballot

There are three ways to request your absentee ballot:

  • Call the Franklin County Board of Elections at 614-525-3100. Press 1 to use the automated system to request your ballot. This is the best option if you don’t have access to a printer.
  • Fill out the Franklin County Board of Elections’ online ballot request form. You will need access to a printer to print out the form.
  • Fill out the Ohio Secretary of State’s online ballot request form. You will need access to a printer to print out the form.

When you fill out your absentee ballot request form, be sure to indicate the following:

  • Date of Election is March 17, 2020, but April 28 and June 2 will also be accepted
  • Primary Election, not general or special election
  • Political Party Ballot, not issues only
  • Name of Political Party is Democrat

If you do not indicate that you want a Democratic Primary ballot, you will not get the correct ballot to vote for the #RepYourBlock2020 candidate in your ward.

Here’s a diagram with more information from Common Cause:

Once you have filled out and printed your absentee ballot request form, you will need to sign and date it, then send it to:

Absentee Department
Franklin County Board of Elections
P.O. Box 182111
Columbus, OH 43218-2111

Technically you have until April 25, 2020, to postmark your absentee ballot request form. However, waiting that late gives the Board of Elections only a day to turn around your request, and it’s possible you would not get your ballot in time to vote. Therefore, we recommend you request your absentee ballot as soon as possible.

Voting

Once the Franklin County Board of Elections receives your absentee ballot request form, they will process your request and send you the ballot you requested.

You then fill out that ballot and send it back to the Board of Elections at the same address as listed above. You must postmark your ballot by April 27, 2020, for it to be counted in the primary election. You may also deliver your ballot in person to the Franklin County Board of Elections at 1700 Morse Road on April 28.

There will be very limited in-person voting on April 28, 2020, only at boards of elections early vote centers, not at precinct polling locations. This option will be available only for people with disabilities who require in-person voting and those who do not have a home mailing address.

Please note that the deadline to register to vote in the 2020 primary election in Ohio was February 18, 2020. You can check your voter registration at the Ohio Secretary of State’s Voter Lookup site.

If you have additional questions about requesting and filling out an absentee ballot, call the Franklin County Board of Elections Absentee Department at (614) 525-3470, or the Ohio Secretary of State at 1-877-767-6446.

You can also check the Ohio Secretary of State’s 2020 Primary Frequently Asked Questions.