Since this is a primary election, voter turnout will be lower than during a November General election, but I still highly encourage you to go vote. As the polarization in our society increases, the election of party candidates is becoming more important as it allows you to try to shape the future of your party.
What you need to do today
Yeah, the election is not for more than a month, but the last date to register to vote is Monday, April 6th. Even if you have not moved and have voted recently, I highly encourage you to check with the county and state to make sure they have you on their list. People have been reporting that they are on one list and not the other, so please do check both.
If you need to register you can do so online in Ohio!
What is on the ballot?
The only issue in Bainbridge Township is a Road Levy. Auburn Township has no issues on the ballot.
For a full list of the candidates that are running you can find you sample ballot at the Geauga County BOE site. Simply pick your preferred party from the drop down list and press Find Ballot. Then scroll down until you find your precinct.
But I don’t know any of these candidates
That’s ok, very few people do, especially for the more local elections. If you are interested in getting to hear the candidates speak and the opportunity to ask them questions, the League of Women Voters of Geauga is hosting one of their wonderful Candidate Forums on Thursday, April 9th, at the Bainbridge Library. Candidates for six different races (evenly split between Republican and Democrat) have committed to being in attendance.
Can I vote before May 5th?
Absolutely! There is in-person early voting at the Geauga County Board of Elections or you can vote by mail.
Early Voting times are posted on the Geauga County BOE main page and start on Tuesday, April 7th.
Requesting a mail in ballot requires printing an application from the BOE webpage, filling it out, mailing it to them. They will then mail you your ballot. You fill it out and mail it back. Unfortunately the process is annoyingly long with three trips through the mail system. One big change you need to keep in mind if you decide to vote by mail is that due to Ohio Senate Bill 293, ballots received after election day will not be counted - regardless of the date it is postmarked. There is an exception for military and overseas voters of four days. Due to this change as well as the potential for the SAVE America Act to get passed (would ban mail in ballots effective the day the bill becomes law), I am choosing to vote in person this year for the first time in nearly 20 years. See you there!