How to register to vote

To be able to vote, you must first be registered. There are six simple qualifications you must meet before you register:

· You are a U.S. Citizen

· You will be at least 18 years old on or before the next general election (November 7 is Election Day)

· You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote

· You are not incarcerated (in prison) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state, another start or the United States

· You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court

· You have not been permanently disfranchised for violations of the elections laws

Once you’ve determined you are qualified to vote, you need to register. You must register at least thirty (30) days before the election in which you would like to vote.

You may register in person at any of the following locations:

· The office of the Secretary of State or any of the 88 county boards of elections

· The office of any deputy registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles

· Offices of designated agencies that provide public assistance or disability programs

· Public libraries

· Public high schools or vocational schools

· County treasurers’ offices

Or you may request a registration form to be mailed to you by your county board of elections or the Ohio Secretary State’s office. You also may either download a voter registration form or request one be mailed to you from the Secretary of State’s web site: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/.

Once you have completed your registration in person or have mailed the registration form you requested back to your county board of elections, your county board of elections will mail a notice to you confirming you are registered to vote. The notice will also identify your voting precinct and the location of your precinct polling place.

If you should have further questions, please contact the Erie County Board of Elections, 2900 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky; 419/627-7601; www.electionsonthe.net/oh/erie/ or e-mail at erie@sos.state.oh.us

Voter registration deadlines - 2006

For May 2 – Primary Election: April 3, 2006

For August 8 – Special Elections: July 10, 2006

For November 7 – General Election: October 10, 2006