For the next four weeks, voters can cast their ballot early at their county’s Board of Elections office. The first week features standard weekday hours, with extended hours scheduled in the final weeks leading up to the election, including rare weekend voting opportunities. Today also marks the day that all requested absentee ballots are sent out, starting a three-and-a-half week period for voters to return their ballots by mail or drop them off at their county’s secure ballot box.
The start of early voting comes a day after the final deadline to register to vote for the November General Election, marking the official shift from voter registration drives to actual ballot casting.
The Power of the Local Vote
The 2025 General Election is primarily a municipal election year for Ohio, placing local offices and community-defining tax levies squarely in the spotlight. Despite often generating lower turnout than major federal elections, election experts and civic leaders emphasize that these local races have the most immediate and direct impact on citizens’ daily lives.
“There is no such thing as an ‘off-year’ election,” states a representative from the League of Women Voters of Ohio. “Every election affects our lives, and no election has more immediate impact than local elections.”
Voters in cities, townships, and school districts across the state will be casting ballots for critical positions that govern their neighborhoods, including:
-Mayors and City Council Members: These officials are responsible for local budgets, zoning laws, public safety funding for police and fire departments, infrastructure projects like road repairs, and decisions on housing policy.
-School Board Members: The people elected to the school board determine the calendar, curriculum, textbooks, and funding for local public education. Their decisions directly shape a child’s educational experience.
-Municipal Judges, Local Treasurers, and Auditors: These offices handle the judicial and financial management of local government, from traffic court decisions to the careful oversight of tax dollars.
-Township Trustees: These leaders manage the local affairs of Ohio’s townships, including services and maintenance.
The Battle Over Local Funding
Beyond individual candidates, a myriad of local issues and tax levies are on the ballot. These often determine the fate of essential public services, as many Ohio communities depend on local property or income taxes to fund operations.
Common issues facing voters include:
-School Levies: Proposed tax increases or renewals to fund schools, including everything from teacher salaries to facility upgrades.
-Public Safety Levies: Measures to fund police and fire departments, ensuring adequate staffing and equipment.
- Funding for Libraries, Parks, and Social Services: Tax issues dedicated to maintaining community quality of life through non-essential but heavily utilized public resources.
As one civic engagement group in the state put it, “Your vote counts even more in local elections than in elections with candidates running for federal and statewide office. Voters in local elections have disproportionate power—make it count!” This sentiment reflects the reality of local elections, where the margin of victory is often razor-thin, and a few hundred, or even a few dozen, votes can determine the outcome of a race or a levy.
Ohioans are encouraged to visit their county Board of Elections website to confirm their local voting location, view their specific sample ballot, and check the complete schedule of early voting hours. The polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, but with early voting now available, citizens can ensure their voices are heard long before the final day.