Do you ever think, "My vote doesn't make a difference, so why bother?" Remember that your vote counts as "1" in every local and state election, and almost all federal elections, too! Local and state elections can determine levies (taxes for local projects), road repairs, education policies, liquor licenses, and funding for police and fire departments, among many other things. Even the electoral college, which decides the presidential election, is based on the votes of the voters in each state. So YES, your vote DOES make a difference!
It’s easy to become disenfranchised or to want to ignore politics. However, it is important to focus on all the reasons we should vote. Voting is not just your right as a US citizen; it is your responsibility. Your vote matters because it gives you the power to effect change! So why vote? Here are a few reasons and resources to inspire you:
| Voting Honors Those Who Sacrificed For You |
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Now that we’ve convinced you to vote, here’s all the information you need.
Once you are registered, you should check your registration information Here.
Ohio periodically purges voters, so you’ll want to check in on your registration and update your address periodically.
If you have moved recently, you can update your address Here.
If you need to confirm your registration or check your polling location, you can do that Here.
Important Deadline Information:
You must register or update your voter registration no later than 30 days prior to an election.
Upcoming voter registration deadlines: October 7, 2024 for the November 5, 2024 General Election
Informed leaders and citizens make better decisions. Informed voters choose more qualified leaders and policies for our communities. It may feel overwhelming to try to sort through all of the political rhetoric and biased sources, so we’ve gathered some credible resources to help you make the best decisions for you, your family, and our community.
First, you want to find out who and what is on your ballot. You can use the Voter Toolkit from the Ohio Secretary of State webpage to view your sample ballot.
Next, you’ll want to research the candidates and issues on the ballot. The League of Women Voters Smart Voter program has created a guide for How to Judge a Candidate. The Legal Defense Fund also has some useful advice on How to Research Candidates and Issues, and critically analyze political messaging.
When researching, you’ll need to be aware of the sources you are consuming and the truthfulness of the candidates’ statements.
This Media Bias Chart is a quick guide to ensure you are getting a wide range of perspectives and staying away from overly biased sources. You can also use PunditFact to sort through the political media commentary
We all know the stereotype that all politicians lie, but some lie and mislead more than others and many are relatively truthful! PolitiFact, The Voter's Self Defense System, USAFacts, and FactCheck.org to evaluate the honesty of candidates and political campaigns.
Avoid only getting your news from social media. Logarithms limit what you see, images can be altered, and information is very often not fact-checked. Learn to identify Fake News and use reverse image searches to identify altered or miss captioned photos that may mislead. Be wary of viral conspiracy theories and most importantly, don’t share anything unless you’ve confirmed its credibility!
After you’ve done your research, you’ll need to decide how you will vote. The League of Women Voters is an
excellent, nonpartisan resource for comparing details about candidates and issues. The LWV’s Personalized Ballot | VOTE411 tool is an excellent way to keep track of who and what you want to vote for (NOTE: this is NOT your actual vote - it is just a way to help you keep track of how you want to vote).
In Ohio, you have three basic options for voting. All are safe and secure.
You can stop in at your country board of elections office and vote in-person starting October 11th. For a the full voting schedule, click Here. For a the county boards directory, click Here.
Request your ballot as soon as possible. The final deadline to request an absentee ballot is 3 days before the election in which you want to vote. Mail your ballot request (found here) or drop it off to your county board of elections. Addresses found Here. Your ballot will be mailed to you. Once you’ve filled out your ballot, you can mail it in or drop it off. Absentee voting by mail begins October 11th, 2023. Please note that ballots much be postmarked by NO LATER than the day before the election. Ballots CANNOT be delivered or dropped at polling locations on elections day.
After you’ve submitted your ballot, you can track it Here.
On election day, November 5th, 2024, you will vote at your assigned polling place, which you can find here, between 6:30am and 7:30 pm. You must bring an approved form of identification, which can be found Here.
Voting is just the first step in becoming an engaged citizen. The more of us who are involved and active in our communities, the more prosperous and healthy they are for everyone! While there are ways for us to be involved year-round, here are some ways you can help during this election season:
Sign Up to Be a Poll Worker!
The Stark County Board of Elections needs your participation in each and every election cycle and hopes you will be the Voice of Liberty inside your communities on Election Day.
Becoming a poll worker is a great way to get involved and have a front row seat to the democratic process. In addition to that, you get paid to participate!
Please visit the Stark County Board of Elections website for more information or call directly to apply. 330-451-8683
Additionally you can:
Encourage your friends and family to vote by posting information on social media, sending text messages, and just plain old-fashioned conversations. Give them the link to this page so that they have all the information they need.
Speak out against lies, conspiracies, and misinformation on social media. Spreading incorrect and deceptive information is damaging to our democracy and the health of our communities. This article outlines How to stop misinformation from spreading on social media. You may also want to use these videos to help
Encourage your friends and family to be careful of fake celebrity endorsements.
New studies show that engaging with AI chatbots may be the most effective way to dispel beliefs in false conspiracy theories.
Join a voter registration campaign or start one yourself! Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, When We All Vote, and The League of Women Voters all have opportunities and resources to help.
Volunteer for a campaign or organization. Once you become an informed voter, you may find you are passionate about a candidate or issue. Help these causes by volunteering your time.
Understanding how our system works AND some of its flaws can help us to understand why we ALL need to engage and be active.
Information on Gerrymandering:
Understanding the Electoral College:
Voter disenfranchisement and suppression:
