UC Votes

• Visit allin.vote/universityofcincinnati to register to vote online.  
  • In order to register to vote online, you will likely need the last 4 digits of your social security number or your state ID number. 
  • Note that in Ohio, in order to register to vote online, you must have a valid state identification or driver's license. If you do not have a state of Ohio identification or driver's license, you won't be able to register to vote online. In this scenario, you would need to complete a paper voter registration card:
    • You can print out a PDF version of Ohio's voter registration card online. You can also find copies of Ohio's voter registration card in the undergraduate student government office at Steger 655. 
    • Use a blue or black ink pen while completing your voter registration card. Make sure for question 4 you mark down the county you live in (do not write USA), for question 8 include your Ohio state ID number/ driver's license number OR the last 4 digits of your social security number, and for box 11 make sure you write in today's date below your signature (and not your birthday) and that your signature is replicable and located entirely within the signature box. 
    • Once you complete your voter registration card, you can mail it to or drop it off at your county's Board of Elections or you can drop it off at the undergraduate student government office at Steger 655.  

Qualified in-state and out-of-state college students who have been in Ohio for more than 30 days may use their Ohio school addresses for voting purposes. Once registered to vote with your campus address, that location becomes your official voting residence and replaces your prior one. It is illegal to register and vote from two different addresses. Students are encouraged to contact Hamilton County Board of Elections for help with registration questions related to Hamilton County. Additional information on registering to vote as a college student can be found via the Ohio Secretary of State's website.

• To register to vote in Ohio with a campus address, you must use a paper voter registration card
• You can access a PDF version of Ohio's voter registration card online or you can pick up a copy from the UC Votes space in the undergraduate student government office in Steger 655. You may fill this out virtually or by using a blue or black ink pen
• Be sure to mark down the physical address of your residence hall on your voter registration card (and not your mailing address)
• Don’t forget to check a box next to “I am”, and next to #1 and #2
• Check box #4: You should have written down your county (for example, Hamilton), and not USA
• Check box #6: This should be your birthday and NOT today's date. 
• Check box #8: Did you provide your Ohio driver's license or state ID number OR the last four digits of your social security number? 
• Check box #11: Is your signature replicable and located entirely within the signature box? Also, you should mark down today's date under your signature and NOT your birthday. 
• Once you are finished, you can drop off your voter registration card at the undergraduate student government office at Steger 655, mail it to your Board of Elections, or drop it off at the Hamilton County Board of Elections (4700 Smith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45212) 

There are 3 voting options in Ohio:

1. Voting early in-person: In Ohio, voting early in-person usually occurs at your county's Board of Elections a month prior to the election. Ohio voters can view the early voting schedule on the Ohio Secretary of State's website. Note that you must provide a valid form of ID in order to vote early in-person. 
2. Voting by mail: 
   1. Ohio voters can complete, print and sign the Absentee Ballot Application form and return it by mail or in person to their local Board of Elections office. Copies of the form can be found in the undergraduate student government office at Steger 655, and completed forms can be dropped off at the same location. 
      1. If you live in a campus housing facility, use our "Voting Addresses for Campus Housing Facilities" page to identify your facility's physical address and mailing address. 
   2. You can deliver your voted absentee ballot via USPS or you can deliver it in-person at your county's Board of Elections. 
      1. Via USPS: Voters must purchase their own stamps for their voted ballots if you choose to deliver them via USPS. Voters will need one stamp per page of ballot. Stamps can be purchased and voted absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Corryville Post office at 2917 Short Vine, Cincinnati, OH 45219. You may wish to request a manual postmark when you drop off your completed ballot at your local USPS branch.  
      2. In-person: If turned in in-person, voted absentee ballots must be received by your board of elections by 7:30PM on Election Day. 
3. Voting on Election Day: Polls in Ohio are open from 6:30AM-7:30PM on Election Day. Before you go to your polling location to vote on Election Day, confirm both your voter registration and your polling location. Note that you must provide a valid form of ID in order to vote in-person. 

The Greater Cincinnati Voter Collaborative partners with RideShare2Vote to provide free rides to polling locations during the early voting period and on Election Day. 

You will need to bring your voter identification with you if you vote early in-person or if you vote in-person on Election Day.

The following are acceptable voter IDs in Ohio: 

• Unexpired Ohio driver's license: commercial, motorcycle, probationary, interim, temporary, or restricted
• Unexpired Ohio issued ID card-- will be issued by the state for free**
• US military ID card
• Ohio issued National Guard ID card
• US issued Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
• Unexpired US passport or passport card

Note that the address on one of the acceptable voter IDs listed above do not need to match the voter's registration address. 

**The Ohio BMV will issue State of Ohio ID Cards for FREE to anyone 17 or older who does not have a driver's license. This is particularly important for students who wish to register to vote using their on-campus address. Note that out of state students with valid out of state driver's licenses who obtain free Ohio identifications for voting purposes may have their out of state licenses revoked. Out of state students who register to vote in Ohio can vote by mail with the last four digits of their social security number or in person with a passport. VoteRiders, a nonpartisan nonprofit, will help anyone get a free ID. 

More information about voter ID rules can be found via the Ohio Secretary of State's website or by using the National Conference of State Legislatures' website. 

Nonpartisan Voter Guides:

• The League of Women Voters of Cincinnati Area offers a comprehensive nonpartisan voter guide for Hamilton County for federal elections. You can use this to learn more about the candidates and issues on the ballot. This voter guide is usually published at the beginning of October. 
• WVXU offers a regional voter guide every election cycle, including information about statewide races and county-specific races. 
• Guides.vote offers nonpartisan voter guides for races across the country. 

Sample Ballots: 

• Voters from all states can find their sample ballots using All In to Vote or VOTE411.org. 
• Hamilton County, Ohio residents can view their sample ballots via the Hamilton County Board of Elections. 

Now that you checked your voter registration status, registered to vote, selected your voting method/ voter ID, and educated yourself on what will be on your ballot, you are ready to vote!

Election Day is November 3, 2026, and polls will be open from 6:30AM-7:30PM. Note that this year, Election Day will be a reading day, which means undergraduate students will not have classes on that day. 

Starting the 2027-2028 academic year, the University of Cincinnati will no longer have Election Day as a reading day. While faculty will be encouraged to hold classes asynchronously on Election Day, they will not be required to do so. As a result, it will be important to create a voting plan in advance to ensure you are able to successfully cast a ballot.   

Tips for voting on Election Day: 

• It is a good idea to bring anything you might need while you wait in line (water, snacks, etc.). 
• You may have to wait in line to vote. If you are in line to vote at 7:30PM (Ohio), do NOT leave the line! You have the right to stay in line as long as you need to. 
• If your voter eligibility is questioned at the polls, you can still vote using a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots look the same as regular ballots, but are set aside until election officials confirm voter eligibility and that the ballot was cast in the correct precinct. You may have to request the provisional ballot from the poll worker. In order for your provisional ballot to count, you must appear in-person at your Board of Elections within 4 days of Election Day to provide proof of identity. Learn more about provisional voting via the Ohio Secretary of State's website. 
• If you experience issues while voting, or if you need voting information, consider calling the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (English), 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota (Spanish), 1-844-YALLA-US (Arabic), 1-888-API-VOTE (Asian & Pacific Islander languages).

Transportation to the Polls: 

• The Greater Cincinnati Voter Collaborative partners with RideShare2Vote to offer free rides to the polls during the early voting period and on Election Day.