More than 19,000 unreturned mail ballots remain in central Ohio

Central Ohio election officials report that nearly 300,000 early in-person and mail-in ballots have been cast across the region's seven counties.

More than 19,000 requested mail-in ballots have not yet been returned to county boards of elections.

Voters must return those outstanding ballots by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. While ballots can be mailed, officials say they likely will not arrive in time. Voters may also drop off completed ballots in person at their local county board of elections.

A law passed by Republicans in the Ohio General Assembly in November 2025 now requires ballots to arrive by Election Day. Previously, ballots were counted if they were postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrived later.

Franklin County accounts for the largest share of outstanding ballots, with more than 12,000 unreturned. The county also saw consistent lines during the final week of early voting. More than 90,000 residents voted in person early in Franklin County, while more than 70,000 requested a mail ballot.

These numbers exceed the 2022 totals, when more than 48,000 people voted early in person and slightly more than 100,000 requested and returned mail-in ballots in Franklin County.