Are you prepared to vote in the 2024 election in Akron? As Nov. 5 approaches, it’s time to make a plan for casting your ballot. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 43.2% of voters cast their ballots by mail and 26.2% cast them early in person.
If you haven’t registered to vote yet, check out our voter registration guide before the Monday deadline — the Summit County Board of Elections will be open until 9 p.m. that day. Any mail-in registration forms must be postmarked by Oct. 7 in order to be eligible for the Nov. 5 election.
In-person early voting
In Summit County, in-person early voting is offered at the Summit County Board of Elections Early Vote Center, located at 500 Grant St. in Akron, next to the board office. The center will be open for absentee voting beginning Tuesday at 8 a.m., with select dates and hours through Nov. 3.
In-person early voting times:
Oct. 8-11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct. 14-18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct. 21-25 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Oct. 27 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct. 28 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 30-Nov. 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nov. 3 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Absentee voting by mail
If you prefer the convenience of voting from home, you can fill out the absentee ballot request form online. The completed form must be signed and mailed to the Summit County Board of Elections at 470 Grant St., Akron, OH 44311. It can also be dropped off directly.
If you prefer to request an application by phone, you can call the elections board at (330) 643-5200.
After submitting your request, you can track it on the board’s website. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 29 at 8:30 p.m., but, to avoid any delays, apply for one as soon as possible.
Receiving your absentee ballot
Once you receive your absentee ballot, return it as soon as possible. The U.S. Postal Service said it can take between two and five days for your absentee ballot to be delivered by mail.
Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4 to be counted. If you’re using postage stamps, make sure to ask postal workers to postmark the envelope.
If you are returning your absentee ballot in person, it must be returned by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.
If you are unable to return your ballot yourself, a family member can do so on your behalf. A new directive from the Ohio Secretary of State requires that anyone returning a completed ballot on behalf of someone else can’t use a ballot drop box. Instead, the ballot must either be mailed or turned in inside the elections office, where the person must sign an attestation form saying they are returning the ballot within the bounds of the law.
Additionally, disabled voters may designate a representative to drop off their ballot, as long as the representative is not their employer or an officer of their union.
Important planning dates for Election Day Nov. 5
Deadline to register to vote: Oct. 7
Early in-person voting: Select dates and hours Oct. 8 through Nov. 3
Absentee voting by mail: Begins Oct. 8
Absentee ballot request deadline: Oct. 29 at 8:30 p.m.
Mailed absentee ballot postmark date: Nov. 4
Election Day: Polls will be open Nov. 5 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
