Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton on Monday, March 16, ordered all Ohio polling places closed on election day (Tuesday, March 17) in response to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Additional information on the extension of vote-by-mail and the delay of in-person voting for the election is available from the Ohio Secretary of State. Consult the CDC for information on COVID-19, its symptoms, and its cause – the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Franklin County residents will begin casting absentee ballots both in person and by mail on Wednesday, February 19, when early voting opens for the March 17 primary election.
The early voting center at the Franklin County Board of Elections, 1700 Morse Rd., will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays from the 19th through Friday, March 6; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 7; and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March 9 to March 13.
In-person early voting will also run on Saturday, March 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, March 15, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Monday, March 16, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Early voting hours are subject to change.)
If voting on election day is more your style, polls will be open on March 17 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Hilliard City Schools will be closed on election day.
The easiest way to apply for a by-mail absentee ballot is through the board of elections website. You can also download and complete a blank ballot application.
By-mail absentee ballots must be requested by Saturday, March 14, and postmarked by Monday, March 16. Completed absentee ballots can also be dropped off at the board of elections through 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17. You can track your absentee ballot online at FranklinCountyVotes.com.
Included on the March 17 ballot is a countywide, 24-year, 0.65-mill bond issue for Columbus State Community College, the school's first-ever request to voters. The bond issue, if approved, will "generate $300 million for capital improvements" to the college's facilities, per the Columbus Dispatch.
"This really is about the community, and creating pathways for economic opportunity for everyone in central Ohio," Columbus State president David Harrison told the Dispatch last October.
Franklin County residents can use the county auditor’s levy estimator to gauge the impact of the Columbus State bond issue – and other non-countywide tax issues – on their property tax bill.
The board of elections makes it easy to check your voter registration, print a sample ballot, and look up your polling location. Before heading to the polls, you should also familiarize yourself with Franklin County’s new voting equipment, which the board of elections debuted early last year.
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