Deadline to Register to Vote Approaches: Ohio Offers Several Voting Methods
September 29, 2020
With the Oct. 5 deadline to register to vote in Ohio approaching, there has been a large increase in efforts to get people registered.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 46.1 percent of eligible 18- to 29-year-olds voted in the 2016 election. Although this is higher than previous years, the trend of young generations not voting has been around for years.
One reason it is important for young people to vote is to accurately reflect the voice of the U.S. and implement change if necessary. Not only in Presidential elections, but also in local, midterm and general elections.
During a Roundtable event at The University of Akron, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose spoke with student leaders on the importance of voting and ways to help college students register.
“You’ve got to start by getting registered to vote. A lot of people don’t realize that Ohio has online voter registration,” Secretary LaRose said. “All you’ve got to do is go on your smartphone or your laptop, it only takes a few minutes. Ohio.gov is the place to do that.”
Voting isn’t just for electing government officials, as it impacts things such as the amount people pay in taxes and how much funding schools receive.
“Once you’re registered, it’s important to make your voice heard,” Secretary LaRose said. “We need to be evangelists about voting. We need to go out to our friends and set an example and talk about how important this is.”
There are many ways people can vote in Ohio, including in-person and absentee ballot voting, as well as early voting. Early in-person voting runs from Oct. 6 through Nov. 2, but people can request an absentee ballot now.
For more information on where your polling location is, how to request an absentee ballot and how to register to vote, visit the Ohio Secretary of State website.