Register to vote by Oct. 10; early voting starts Oct. 11
In Wayne County, Tuesday, Oct. 10 is the deadline to register to vote, and early voting will begin Wednesday, Oct. 11.
There is a general election coming Nov. 7, and the Wayne County Board of Elections is well underway with preparations.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 is the deadline to register to vote, and early voting will begin Wednesday, Oct. 11.
Voters may visit www.VoteOhio.gov or www.WayneCountyOH.gov to register online, check their voter registration, change their address, locate their polling place, view sample ballots and find absentee voter information.
Citizens also can register in person at one of the following locations: the Wayne County Board of Elections, the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, the BMV or Deputy Registrars, the Department of Job & Family Services, the health department including WIC, the mental health department, the developmental disabilities department, any state-assisted college or university that provides assistance to students with disabilities, the county treasurer’s office, any public library, and any public high school or vocational school.
These are the qualifications to register for this election: must be a citizen of the United States and be 18 years of age on or before Nov. 7, must be a resident of Ohio 30 days prior to the election, must not be incarcerated for a felony conviction, must not have been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court, and must not have been permanently disenfranchised for violations of election law.
The Wayne County Board of Elections is always looking for poll workers. Any registered Wayne County voter is eligible. Anyone interested can call Meredith Holder or Kim Wilson at 330-287-5480.
Julie Leathers Stahl, the director of the Wayne County Board of Elections, said the state requires bipartisan teams at all polling locations. This means Wayne County needs approximately 270 poll workers to be fully staffed.
According to Stahl, there are 127 contests on the ballot across Wayne County with 121 different ballot styles for this election. Wayne County has 67 precincts housed by 41 polling locations.
“A large voter turnout is anticipated for the general 2023 election because of State Issue 1 and State Issue 2 on the ballot,” Stahl said.
There also will be renewal levies for the Wayne County Care Center, Canaan Township, East Union Township, Northwestern LSD and Triway LSD; replacement and increase levies for the Village of Marshallville and Sterling Fire District; gas and electric aggregation issues for the City of Wooster; gas aggregation for the Village of Dalton; additional income tax issues for the Village of Dalton and the City of Rittman; and local options for Sunday sales for Cranston’s Pub in Doylestown, BellStores in West Salem, and BellStores at 404 S. Market St. and 220 S. Columbus Ave. in Wooster.
Additionally, Wayne County Municipal Court judges, city and village officials, township trustees, fiscal officers, and members of the school board and Tri-County Educational Service Center will be on the ballot.
More information including candidate and issue lists, sample ballots, and polling location look-up may be found online at www.WayneCountyOH.gov. Find the Wayne County Board of Elections on Facebook and Twitter as well for updates and information.
A new Ohio law requires all voters to have a valid photo ID in order to vote. Go to www.WayneCountyOH.gov for more details.
The Wayne County Board of Elections is located at 200 Vanover St., second floor, Wooster. The office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On the last day for registration, Oct. 10, the office will be open until 9 p.m.
“The Wayne County Board of Elections staff works very hard to ensure a safe, fair and accurate election experience for Wayne County,” Stahl said. “Our timeline for each election starts approximately 100 days prior to each election. Our bipartisan team puts forth 110% effort, whether it be to proof ballots or test machines or ensure all security measures are being followed.
“We strive every single day to do our very best because what we do matters — not only to us, but to all the voters we serve.”