Op-ed: Three ways to vote
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Absentee - Ohio's Secretary of State is sending every registered Ohioan an absentee ballot application. I got mine! If you want to vote absentee by mail, you must fill out the application and send it to the Washington County Board of Elections. The address is on the application. Wait for your ballot to come, fill it out and mail it to the Washington County Board of Elections as soon as possible. Your ballot must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026.
Vote Early in Person - Go to the Washington County Board of Elections at 204 Davis Ave. Marietta, Oct. 6 through Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with a few Saturday and Sunday hours thrown in. See the Early Voting Hours on the website www.boe.ohio.gov/washington/ scroll down. The clerk at the Board of Elections will ask for your ID. To vote, you must have a valid photo ID not expired (driver license, state of Ohio ID card or interim ID card from OBMV). Or a U.S. passport or U.S. passport card; or U.S. Military ID card, U.S. Military dependent ID card, Ohio National Guard ID card, U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs ID card.
Vote on Election Day, Nov. 3 - Be registered to vote by Oct. 5. The BOE is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 5 to help you get registered. Go to the Washington County Board of Elections site www.boe.ohio.gov/washington/ to check your registration and to find your polling place. Go to your polling place between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 with your photo ID. If there is any question or problem with your registration or ID, ask the poll worker to call the Board of Elections. The BOE may decide you need to do a provisional ballot. That will let you vote and give you time to produce needed items at the Board of Elections another day.
The safest and surest way to vote is Early Voting at the Board of Elections office. You know your ID is accepted, you have the right ballot, you are not depending on the mail and deadlines, and you receive a message on the screen that your vote was counted. So, vote early if you can Oct. 6 - Nov. 1.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that voting by mail will proceed as it has in the past. It is legal so send in your application, wait to receive your ballot and send it in so it is received at the Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. It is best to start as soon as you get your application, fill it out and send it in right away. When your ballot comes, do the same, fill it out right away and send it in. Do not wait. The mail service is not dependable. You can track your ballot by going to the website www.boe.ohio.gov/washington/.
Election Day voting at your polling location is safe and secure. The Board of Elections has checked all the machines, ballots are ready, there will be poll monitors to make sure everyone can vote and volunteers from our community will be participating in Election Protection to be sure every person has the right to vote. If you have a problem, or you see a problem call the Washington County Board of Elections at 740-374-6628 or Election Protection hotline at 866-687-8683.
A democracy depends on citizens voting. Early vote, absentee vote or vote on Election Day so we can have the largest turn out in years for the 2026 election. Your vote is your voice! Speak for yourself!
Meet the candidates is Wednesday, Sept. 30 6:30 p.m. at Marietta High School auditorium. A chance to hear from local, state and federal candidates. Free, open to all and plenty of parking.
Betsy Cook is a member of Living Democracy: Engaging Citizens. Our mission is to inform and educate the Mid-Ohio Valley about how government works on the local, state, and federal levels and how citizens can be involved to make our democracy work. Join us the third Monday of each month. livingdemocracymov@gmail.com and facebook/livingdemocracy:engagingcitizens and Youtube channel Living Democracy.