MANSFIELD — Absentee and early voting for the May 2 primary election begins April 4, either by mail or in-person, according to the Richland County Board of Elections.
Matt Finfgeld, elections director, and Jane Zimmermann, deputy director said residents can vote in person at the Richland County Board of Elections, 1495 W. Longview Ave., in the lower level classroom.
The closest entrance is in the back of the Longview Center by the “Vote Here” sign and flag.
“If you enter through the front entrance, you must take the stairs or elevator down to the lower level,” Finfgeld said.
If you want to view your ballot online, please visit https://www.boe.ohio.gov/richland/candidate-voter-tools/ and voter lookup search.
Enter your last and first name and submit.
On the right side, click sample ballots and choose which ballot style you want to view.
Voters who have requested absentee ballots by mail will have their ballot mailed out, also starting April 4.
Absentee applications to vote by mail are available online at https://www.boe.ohio.gov/richland/ or by calling the local elections board office at 419-774-5530 to have a request form mailed to you.
The local elections office will be open for early, in-person voting:
April 4 through April 21 — weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 24, 26, 27 and 28 — 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
April 25 — 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (also the deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail)
April 29 — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 30 — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (early voting ends)
There will be no early voting on Monday, May 1.
On Election Day, May 2, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
All precincts in Richland County will be open.
Voters in the City of Mansfield may request a Republican, Democrat or an issues-only ballot.
Voters in the City of Ontario 2nd Ward may request a Democrat or issues-only ballot. The remaining wards in the City of Ontario will have an issues-only ballot.
The remaining Richland County voters will have an issues-only ballot.
The only procedure available under Ohio Election Law to change your party affiliation is to request the party’s ballot in a primary election.
“It does not matter which party a voter is currently affiliated with in their voter registration records. The voter simply states to the poll worker which ballot they want to cast for that election,” Finfgeld said.
