Secretary of State Husted: Ohio voters to receive statewide absentee ballot applications just after Labor Day

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has announced that this week more than six million applications to vote absentee in the upcoming Presidential Election will be mailed to Ohio voters, arriving in mailboxes shortly after Labor Day. 

“This mailing represents an unprecedented move toward uniformity, accessibility and fairness in Ohio’s elections process,” Secretary Husted said. “For the first time voters in all 88 counties will receive an application to vote by mail – turning their kitchen table into a voting booth.”

By the Numbers:

• Two – Number of statewide mailings. First mailing will go out on August 31, 2012, arriving in mailboxes shortly after Labor Day; Second supplemental mailing will go out early October.

• 88 – Number of Ohio counties where all registered voters will receive an absentee ballot application – marking the first time ever all Ohioans will have same level of access to ballot.

• More Than Six Million – Number of voters included in initial mailing. The supplemental mailing will go out early October and include voters who registered or updated their information after August 6, 2012.

• Three – Number of fields voters must complete on personalized absentee ballot applications. Voters must provide valid identification, their date of birth and signature.

• 35 – Number of days before Election Day that early voting begins in Ohio and absentee ballots will be sent out – October 2, 2012.

• One –National elections experts have noted that Ohio is the only state in the nation to send out absentee ballot applications to all registered voters outside of those states, which vote exclusively by mail (currently Washington and Oregon).

• $1.4 Million – Total cost of the initial statewide mailing, which is well under initial estimates of $2-$3 million. With this cost comes the benefit of more votes being cast early, easing the Election Day rush and reducing the potential for long lines at the polls.

Voters must complete and mail in their application by noon on Saturday, November 3, 2012. If they change their mind and go to the polls after having requested an absentee ballot, they will have to vote provisionally.

For more information about the 2012 election, visit www.MyOhioVote.com.