{"id":7384,"date":"2024-09-25T07:47:25","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T11:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/?p=7384"},"modified":"2024-09-25T07:47:26","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T11:47:26","slug":"voting-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2024\/09\/25\/voting-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Voting Information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Education <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here in Ohio, early voting starts on October 8th<\/sup>, two weeks from yesterday.\u00a0\u00a0When I was a High School Government teacher, I helped register my seniors who were eligible to vote.\u00a0\u00a0I don\u2019t know if current teachers do that; politics in the classroom seems to be the \u201cthird rail\u201d of education.\u00a0\u00a0I didn\u2019t do it for any partisan reasons.\u00a0\u00a0My kids didn\u2019t know my own politics, and frankly, most of them likely voted against the folks I supported.\u00a0\u00a0But that didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0\u00a0I was a Government teacher, and voting is the single, critical act that every citizen can take to participate in their government.\u00a0\u00a0It not only made sense to get them registered, it was a duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s been eighteen years since I was in that classroom (the building I taught in isn\u2019t even a high school anymore).\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019ve \u201crevealed\u201d my political leanings since I retired; if you\u2019re reading this essay you probably know all about that.\u00a0\u00a0But voting is still a civic duty, even if we don\u2019t agree on who to vote for.\u00a0\u00a0To paraphrase French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire:\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI may not agree with who you vote for, but I will defend to the death your right to do so\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ohio Residents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of this applies to Ohio residents (and particularly in Licking County), and different states have differing rules.\u00a0\u00a0If you\u2019re outside of Ohio, check with your state Secretary of State (the election folks) or your local Board of Elections.\u00a0\u00a0Here\u2019s the link to every state\u2019s\u00a0Secretary of State.<\/a>\u00a0(Note \u2013 Hawaii is a little different, of course \u2013 so here\u2019s their\u00a0link<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step one:  register to vote.  October 7th<\/sup> is the LAST day to register in Ohio.  Local Licking County folks can do so at the Board of Elections in Newark; or at the Driver\u2019s License Bureau on Township Road, or the Pataskala Library on Vine Street, both in Pataskala.  And, since it\u2019s the 21st<\/sup> Century, here\u2019s the Ohio  Secretary of State\u2019s online registration site<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure if you\u2019re registered in Ohio (or still registered, or at the correct address)?  Here\u2019s the link to check all of that:  Voter Information Search<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, October 8th, you can vote early if you want to.\u00a0\u00a0You go to your county board of elections, here in Licking County it\u2019s in Newark, and cast your ballot, just like you would do on election day.\u00a0\u00a0There are twenty-three days to vote in October and early November.\u00a0\u00a0Here\u2019s the link for Licking County\u2019s\u00a0\u00a0schedule<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Monty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

And finally, if you want to get the \u201cfull Monty\u201d of elections, you can vote at your regular polling place on Election Day, on November 5th<\/sup>.\u00a0\u00a0Where is your polling place?\u00a0\u00a0Go back up to the\u00a0Voter Information Search<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0You can find your polling place, request an absentee ballot to be sent to your address, and see your voting history back to 2010.\u00a0\u00a0(No, you can\u2019t see who<\/strong> you voted for.\u00a0\u00a0You can see that you did vote, and if it was in a primary election, which ballot you asked for; Democrat, Republican, or Non-Partisan.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you get an absentee ballot, make sure you carefully fill out all the requirements, on the ballot, and on any envelopes the ballot goes in.  Some require signatures on the \u201couter envelope\u201d, many require signatures, dates, and other information on the inner envelope.  If that information is missing, your absentee ballot may be voided \u2013 so take some time and get it right.  If you don\u2019t want to mail it, there is a \u201cdrop-box\u201d in front of the Board of Elections office in Newark, or you can go in during early voting hours and hand it to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Person Voting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you chose to vote in-person, either early or on election day, in Ohio you are required to have a photo ID with you.\u00a0\u00a0Here\u2019s the link for what ID\u2019s are acceptable:\u00a0\u00a0Voter ID<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are registered, if you have a photo ID, 99.4% of the time (I made that up) you won\u2019t have any issues voting at your polling place.\u00a0\u00a0But sometimes, stuff happens.\u00a0\u00a0If for some reason the election officials won’t give you a ballot (or if there\u2019s a system breakdown of some kind), here\u2019s what to do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n