What are Ohioans voting on in 2025?

2025 is a municipal election year—it's when Ohio voters elect the leaders that make decisions that impact us close to home. 

 

This year, Ohioans will be voting on candidates seeking office for:

• Mayor, or city manager for those in townships or who use the council manager system

• City council members

• Trustees

• School board members

• Municipal judges

• Local treasurers and auditors

• Some voters will also be choosing members of their Educational Service Center​ 

​

Many Ohio communities will also be voting on levies that will decide if local services will get new or continued funding through local property or income tax. Schools are the most common type of levy; public safety levies that fund policy and fire departments are also common, as are levies that fund libraries, social services, and parks.

 

There are no statewide issues on the ballot this fall. 

 

Why should I vote in a municipal election?

When people think about elections, presidential election years are what usually comes to mind first, followed by midterm elections, where we vote for governor, US Congressional candidates, and US Senator. Much less attention goes to municipal elections, but the truth is that our local elected officials shape the quality of our lives as much and sometimes more than leaders elected to represent us at the state and federal level. 

 

Here's why.

 

The people we elect during local elections have direct impact on our daily lives: Decisions about schools, local budgets, housing policy, zoning and construction rules, even how often your trash gets picked up and where and whether the potholes get repaired are made by people elected during these elections. 

• Your city council decides whether your street gets repaved or if a new park opens.

• Your school board sets the calendar, chooses textbooks, and decides whether your kid’s school has after-school programs.

• We elect judges that we could appear in front of in traffic court or family courts.

​

Local officials are often the easiest to reach — and the quickest to respond: You can attend a council or school board meeting, speak directly to decision-makers, and sometimes see change happen within weeks. A few calls or emails from residents can raise a topic to the top of the agenda. All his makes local leaders more responsive to voters than at "higher" levels of government. At the local level, your voice is not one in a million — it’s one among neighbors.

​

Our votes have more impact in local elections: The sad truth is that fewer people vote in local elections. This is terrible because democracy works best when we all participate, but the silver lining is that 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!

 

Local elections are where our votes are strongest, our voices are loudest, and our impact is most direct. There's no such thing as an "off-year" election—every election affects our lives, and no election has more immediate impact than local elections.

 

Where can I find what will be on my ballot? 

​Your county Board of Elections office has sample ballots for voters to see what offices are up for election, and who the candidates are. You can find your county’s Board of Elections here. Once you are on your county’s site, you will enter your name and the ballot options for your district will come up.

 

Where can I find information about the candidates and issues on my ballot?

Vote411 has personalized nonpartisan information about the candidates and issues on your ballot. Voters just enter their address and everything on their ballot will pop up.

​

Candidate forums and debates are helpful ways to learn what candidates think about different issues, and how they would act in a variety of scenarios. Going to candidate events and looking at their website will also tell you what their priorities as an elected official would be, too. All of these things can also give some clues about personality and temperament, but be sure to observe more than one of these to give you a fuller picture of the candidate’s intentions and capacities.    

 

Your local media can also be a good source of information, especially when candidates participate in interviews. Often local papers will publish the candidates' positions and background ahead of the election, and it can be helpful to look at them side by side. 

 

When is Election Day?

​Election Day is November 4th, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

 

When is early voting? 

You can vote early at your county's early voting center; check with your county Board of Elections for info—go here to find yours. The days are times this year are: 

• October 7-10: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• October 14-17: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• October 20-24: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• October 27: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

• October 28: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

• October 29-31: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

• November 1: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

• November 2: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

​

How about voting by mail aka absentee voting?

Yes, voters can absolutely choose to vote by mail, and we don't need any special reason in Ohio. Voting by mail can be an especially good option for people who don’t have an Ohio driver’s license or Ohio BMV-issued Ohio ID, as only the last 4 digits of their Social Security number are required, or who have schedules that can be unpredictable.

 

Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for your ballot to arrive, and return your ballot as quickly as you can by mail or by placing it in your county Board of Elections’ dropbox. If you're sending your ballot through the mail, it must be postmarked by November 3 and arrive by November 8. If returning your ballot in person, you can put it in the drop box at your county Board of Elections or take it inside on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. To see more about requesting your absentee ballot, go here. 

 

If you are unable to get your ballot into the mail or take it to the drop box yourself, it's important to know that Ohio law restricts who can help you. Voters with disabilities can have any family or support person drop their ballot into the drop box at the voter's county board of elections. For all other voters, the following family members are the only people who can provide this assistance to voters:

• father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece

 

Those dropping off ballots on behalf of someone else must sign an attestation form at their county board of elections affirming their identity. 

 

What kind of ID is required to vote?

​Voting in person, either during the early voting period or on Election Day, requires one of the following kinds of ID:

• Ohio BMV-issued driver’s license (it’s ok if the address is not current)

• Ohio BMV-issued State of Ohio ID card

• Ohio BMV-issued interim ID

• US Passport or Passport card

• US Military ID card

• Ohio National Guard ID card

• US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

 

All IDs must have:

• An expiration date that has not passed

• A photo of the voter

• The voter’s name, which must be the same or nearly the same as it appears on the Poll List or Poll Book

​

The address on your ID does not need to match your registration.

 

What if I don’t have any of the IDs listed here?

• You can vote by mail, aka vote by absentee ballot– only the last 4 digits of your Social Security number is needed for that.

• You can get a free State of Ohio ID if you are at least 17 years old through the Ohio BMV

• You can get help through VoteRiders – they can help get the documents you need to prove your identity, help pay BMV fines preventing you from having a driver’s license, and even help connect you with a lawyer if you need one.

​

Make a plan to vote!

Go here to get tips on how to be prepared for any election.