Almost 2 million Ohioans have voted

There is still time to vote early for the Nov. 6 general election.

County boards of elections are open for voting during the following hours:

• Monday, November 5: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• For those choosing to vote on Election Day, the polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has released the latest absentee voting data for Ohio based upon an informal survey of Ohio’s 88 boards of elections.

As of Friday, Nov, 2, more than 1.6 million Ohioans had already cast their ballots.

Of the more than 1.3 million absentee ballots that have been mailed to voters during the absentee voting period, more than 1.1 million have already been returned or 85.5 percent.

In addition, more than 495,000 voters had voted in person at their board of elections or designated vote center.

“Voting has gone smoothly in Ohio and we expect that trend to continue through the close of the polls on Election Day,” Secretary Husted said.

“As voters continue to take advantage of the hours remaining to vote absentee in person and by mail, absentee voting for 2012 is on track to surpass 2008.”

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Monday, November 5, 2012, and received no later than November 16, 2012, though voters may also return their ballots in person to their board of elections up until the close of polls on Election Day. 

It is important to note that if a voter has requested an absentee ballot and decides instead to vote in person, they will be required to vote provisionally.