Key Takeaways:
- Registered Ohio voters who move after the registration deadline can still vote in the Nov. 3 election, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office said.
- Those voters may have to cast a provisional ballot, which election workers set aside until they verify eligibility.
- Ohio’s voter registration deadline is 30 days before Election Day, which falls on Oct. 5 this year, according to state election guidance.
- State election rules require voters to show photo ID and to provide any missing identification within four days after the election.
- Columbus-area voters who moved recently can contact the Franklin County Board of Elections on Morse Road or the state hotline at 877-767-6446.
Quick Facts:
What: The Ohio Secretary of State’s office explained how registered voters who move close to Election Day can still cast a ballot.
Where: Franklin County; Franklin County Board of Elections, 1700 Morse Road, Columbus.
When: Registration and address-change deadline Oct. 5, 2026; Election Day Nov. 3, 2026, polls open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Who: Ohio Secretary of State’s office (spokesperson Dan Lusheck); county boards of elections; registered voters who recently moved.
Status: Ongoing; election in five weeks.
Source: NBC4 Columbus; Ohio Secretary of State
What Happened
The Ohio Secretary of State’s office said Wednesday that Ohioans who move close to the November election keep their right to vote, NBC4 reported. Some of them may need to vote provisionally.
State election guidance sets the deadline to register or update an address 30 days before Election Day. That puts the deadline at Oct. 5 for the Nov. 3 general election.
Voters who moved from one precinct to another within a county and missed that deadline can cast a provisional ballot, according to the Secretary of State’s election manual. They can do so at the county board of elections office or an early voting site during the early voting period. They can also vote at their polling place on Election Day.
What Officials Said
Dan Lusheck of the Secretary of State’s office said a voter already registered in Ohio who moves to a new Ohio address after the deadline “can still vote.” The office said voters keep that right even if they must vote provisionally.
State guidance says election workers set a provisional ballot aside until they confirm the voter’s eligibility. Ohio law requires voters to show a valid photo ID. Voters who cast a provisional ballot without acceptable ID have four days after the election to provide it, according to state guidance.
What This Means for Columbus Residents
Columbus residents who have moved within Franklin County, or plan to, have until Oct. 5 to update their registration and avoid voting provisionally. Voters who miss the deadline can still vote.
Provisional ballots can be cast at the Franklin County Board of Elections at 1700 Morse Road on the north side, or at the voter’s polling place on Election Day. Voters who cast one should bring photo ID. They can also check later whether their ballot counted through the state’s provisional ballot system.
What To Do
Columbus voters who have moved can update their registration through the Ohio Secretary of State’s website or the Franklin County Board of Elections before Oct. 5. Questions can go to the Secretary of State’s office at 877-767-6446.
Voters who miss the deadline can vote provisionally at the Franklin County Board of Elections, 1700 Morse Road, or at their polling place on Nov. 3. Polls in Ohio are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Election Day is Nov. 3, and Columbus voters have until Oct. 5 to update their registration.