What ID should I bring to the polls in Ohio?
There are several types of valid photo identification:
- Ohio driver's license
- State of Ohio ID card
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
- A U.S. passport
- A U.S. passport card
- U.S. military ID card
- A U.S. military dependent card
- Ohio National Guard ID card
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
All photo IDs must have the following:
- An expiration date that has not passed
- A photograph of the voter
- The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book
Unacceptable types of ID are:
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Government check
- Paycheck
- Other government document (other than acceptable forms listed above) such as a social security card or birth certificate
- A driver's license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio
- An Ohio driver's license or State of Ohio ID card that contains a “Non-Renewable/Non-Transferable” identifier
- An Ohio driver's license or State of Ohio ID card that contains a Noncitizen identifier may be used in conjunction with additional proof of citizenship.
- Ohio Mobile ID
- Insurance card
- Any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections.
What ID should I bring to the polls in Pennsylvania?
Photo ID is not required to vote in person on Election Day. However, when voting for the first time at a polling place, proof of identification is required.
Accepted forms of photo ID:
- PA driver's license or other ID card issued by PennDOT
- ID issued by a PA or U.S. agency
- U.S. passport
- Military ID
- Student ID
- Employee ID
Accepted non-photo IDs:
- Voter registration card
- Recent utility bill
- Recent bank statement
- Gun permit
- Recent paycheck
- ID issued by a PA or U.S. agency
Can I bring my children with me to the polls?
Absolutely! Introducing children to the electoral process at an early age inspires civic duty, sparks curiosity and starts the conversation. See additional voting resources for children from PBS KIDS for Parents here.
Can I get off work to vote?
Ohio law prohibits employers from discharging or threatening employees for taking “a reasonable amount of time to vote on election day.” To qualify for voter leave, an employee must be a registered Ohio voter and must not have had sufficient time to vote outside of their scheduled working hours. Voters are not required by statute to notify their employer, but employers may request advance notice.
Pennsylvania does not offer voter leave, but employers are prohibited from threatening, intimidating or coercing employees to vote or refrain from voting.
How should college students vote?
University students who study away from their home address or outside of their home state have several pathways to vote. In Pennsylvania and Ohio, mail-in and absentee voting may be the most convenient course of action. Ohio also offers early in-person voting.
If a student is studying abroad, they can register as an overseas citizen voter. Learn more here.
What is provisional voting?
A provisional ballot is used to record a vote if a voter's eligibility is in question and the voter would otherwise not be permitted to vote at their polling place. The content of a provisional ballot is no different from a regular ballot, but it is cast “provisionally” until election officials can verify the voter’s eligibility to vote.
Learn more about provisional ballots in Ohio here.
Learn more about provisional ballots in Pennsylvania here.