Ohio mail ballot request deadline passes; LaRose steers voters to county drop boxes

The deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot in Ohio closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose is steering voters away from mailing completed ballots back through the postal system.

LaRose said a ballot requested at the deadline might reach a voter by Election Day, but returning it by mail carries timing risk. "It is still legally permissible to mail in your absentee ballot, but it may not be a good idea at this point just given the time that it takes for things to move through the postal system," LaRose said.

Most ballots must be in the hands of election officials by the end of Election Day. LaRose's guidance for voters who hold a ballot: use the drop box at the county Board of Elections. If a requested ballot does not arrive before Election Day, LaRose said a voter may go to the precinct and cast a provisional ballot.

In-person early voting continues this weekend at county Boards of Elections Early Voting Centers. Voters are asked to bring a photo ID, and details are posted at voteohio.gov.

The Department of Justice will post observers in polling places in Franklin, Cuyahoga, and Medina counties on Election Day, part of what the department describes as its largest monitoring effort to date. LaRose, a Republican, said federal observers have appeared under former President Biden and under Trump, and he said there is no cause for alarm.

"They operate under very specific rules. They may not impede voters. They may not interfere in the process whatsoever. It's right there in the name. They are observers, and they may observe, but that's about it," LaRose said. Additional counties could be added to the list closer to the election.