Election Information for Students
Oberlin College seeks to prepare students to become engaged and informed citizens by providing essential information and resources to vote in local, state, and national elections.
Upcoming Election Information
The 2024 General Election will take place on November 5th, 2024. The registration deadline to vote at your current address in Ohio is October 7th, 2024. If you wish to vote in Ohio, you must be registered at your current address; see below for information on voter registration. Whether voting in person, early in-person, or by mail, be sure you are prepared and know when and how you can submit (or cast) your ballot. Important: students without an Ohio driver's license, state ID, or passport must vote by mail.
This page covers election information for Ohio, but if you're looking for voting information for your home state, check out Campus Vote Project's State Student Voting Guides.
Step 1: Register to Vote
The next voter registration deadline is October 7th, 2024. If you are registered in Ohio, check to verify that you have successfully registered. If you are not in the same dormitory or apartment as you were when you last voted in Ohio, you need to update your voter registration. Look for voter registration drives on campus or stop by Wilder 312 to pick up a form and get it filled out. If dropping off forms outside business hours, slide your form under the door!
On-Campus Voter Registration
If you are registering to vote at an on-campus address, please note the following:
- Your voter registration address must be the physical address of your dorm. You can look this up at the facilities' website.
- Under mailing address, you will need to write: 135 W Lorain St. - [your Obie ID]. You do not need to rewrite Oberlin, OH 44074
- You MUST pick up your voter registration postcard from the mailroom as soon as possible. Receipt of this postcard verifies your address for the Board of Elections.
Sample Ohio Voter Registration Form
Voting at Home
If you want to register to vote in your home state, check out more information about voter registration and voting processes through the Campus Votes Project State Student Guides. OC Votes will also help you get state by state voting information if you make a meeting with us or stop by our table or office in Wilder 312!
Step 2: Plan Your Vote
Vote at the Polls on Election Day
Find your polling location. Please note that polling for college students may depend on your on-campus residence. You will need an unexpired photo ID to vote in person in Ohio. Bring one of the following:
- A Driver's license or photo ID issued by the State of Ohio BMV
- Military ID
- US Passport and Passport Card
Vote Early In Person
You can vote early in-person at the Lorain Board of Elections starting on October 8th. Check voting hours and get directions on the Lorain County Board of Elections website. You will need an unexpired photo ID to vote in person in Ohio. Bring one of the following:
- A Driver's license or photo ID issued by the State of Ohio BMV
- Military ID
- US Passport and Passport Card
OC Votes will host rides to the polls throughout early voting. Reach out to us to get the latest dates and times for rides.
Vote by Mail
To request an absentee ballot in Ohio, you must provide either your Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. This method is the only one available to students without an accepted photo ID form. You can request an absentee ballot by printing and mailing this form or delivering it in person to the Board of Elections.
You can pick up your absentee ballot request form any time at Wilder 312 and OC Votes will help you fill it out! We strongly recommend completing your absentee request as soon as possible with a strong recommended deadline of October 22nd.
Absentee voting for the General Election starts October 8th. Students who complete their absentee ballots may also drop them off in person at the Board of Elections. All absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before November 4th and received by November 9th. Make sure you are correctly registered first.
Step 3: Research Your Ballot
Prepare to vote by researching what issues and candidates will be on your ballot. The League of Women Voters provides ballot information on Vote411.org. Here, you'll find nonpartisan background and responses from candidates. General Election information should be available sometime in October.
Step 4: Vote!
If you are voting in person early or on Election Day, you will need to bring your form of photo ID. You will also need to provide the address at which you are registered. If you are voting absentee, you must either drop your ballot off at the Board of Elections by 7:30 pm on Election Day or mail your ballot postmarked by the day before Election Day.
Questions about your registration, absentee ballot, or voting plan? Call the Lorain County Board of Elections at 440-326-5900!