Julia Garrison
News Editor
Election day is Nov. 5 in Wayne County and key deadlines are approaching for the 2024 election. Students have resources both on and off campus to help them register to vote, understand what’s on the ballot in Wayne County and more resources relating to this year’s election.
Registering to vote:
The deadline for registering to vote in Ohio is Oct. 7. Students can register on campus through tabling at Lowry or online. If students register to vote on campus, they can also request their absentee ballot at the same time. If students register to vote online, absentee ballot requests can only be processed once their registration has been completed.
Whether registering online or in-person, voters will need to provide their legal name, date of birth and a form of identification: either the last four digits of their Social Security number and either an Ohio driver’s license with a Wayne County address or an Ohio identification card number. Once a registration form has been submitted, Ohio voters can check their registration status on the Secretary of State’s voter search website.
Early voting:
Early voting in Wayne County begins on Oct. 8 and ends Nov. 3. The official schedule of polling locations for early voting can be found on the Wayne County Board of Elections website.
Voting absentee:
When filling out the form to vote absentee, students must put both their address of residence and their mailing address. Students planning to vote in Wayne County will write their address of residence as the address for their dormitory; student mailing addresses (mailboxes in the Mail and Package center) are where voters should indicate they would like to receive mail.
After receiving an absentee ballot, voters should complete the ballot and return it to the Board of Elections in a timely manner. This ensures that the ballot will be counted in the election. Mail-in voters can either return the ballot directly to the Board of Elections on Vanover Street or return it by mail.
The recommended mail-in absentee ballot deadline is Oct. 28, but the final, legal deadline for absentee ballots to be postmarked is Nov. 6. The deadline for drop-offs at the Board of Elections is Nov. 7 at 3:30 p.m.
Where to vote on election day:
Wooster’s campus is broken into three separate precincts. If registering to vote in Wayne County, students must use their physical dorm address –– not their mailbox address found in the Mail and Package Center. A list of all the addresses for what to list your address as based on your place of residence across campus can be found on Inside Wooster.
The following polling locations cover the entirety of campus:
- Precinct Wooster City 2-B: The polling location for this precinct is St. Mary’s Parish Hall, located on the corner of Beall avenue, across the street from McDonald’s and Discount Drug Mart. Students can enter through the parking lot entrance.
- Precinct Wooster City 2-C: The polling location for this precinct is St. Mary’s Parish Hall, located on the corner of Beall avenue, across the street from McDonald’s and Discount Drug Mart. Students can enter through the parking lot entrance.
- Precinct Wooster City 2-D: The polling location for this precinct is College Hills Retirement Center, located on Portage Road, just behind the Big Lots and Save A Lot.
For more information on how to vote in Wayne county, review Wooster’s Campus Voting guide, the teaching and learning website, also made by Wooster staff and the Wayne County Board of Elections website.
The Voice will monitor resources made available to the community and add them to our voter guide in a timely manner.
