Get involved: There are plenty of opportunities to vote in Ohio

With nearly a month to cast a ballot, which includes the ability to vote by mail from the comfort of your own home and more than 200 hours to vote in person, voting in Ohio is easy and accessible for all. This is an important reminder because there is a growing segment of our population that chooses not to participate in elections despite the fact that every vote matters and the outcome of an election impacts everyone’s future.

If you are one of those folks considering sitting out in the upcoming primary election, keep in mind that over the past five years in Ohio, there have been 140 contests decided by one vote or tied. These races have included city and village council seats, tax and school levies, and others. And in each one, a single vote – your vote – could have made all the difference.

We have taken a number of steps to make it as easy as possible for all eligible Ohioans to get involved. Today there’s no shortage of ways to get registered or cast a ballot.

If you do decide to be an active participant in our future, the first thing you need to do is get registered to vote. Ohioans have until April 9 to register in time for the May 8 Primary Election. This can be done in just minutes by visiting MyOhioVote.com. Online voter registration is easy, convenient, and secure. If you are already registered to vote, then I encourage you to take this opportunity to go online and make sure all of your information is up to date.

Once registered, the next decision to make is how you want to cast your ballot. Every registered Ohio voter has three convenient options: absentee by mail, absentee in person, and Election Day. Absentee voting for the May 8 Primary Election begins on April 10, the day after the registration deadline.

Absentee voting by mail has become increasingly popular in recent years, and any registered voter can request to receive an absentee ballot through the mail. If you want to cast an absentee ballot by mail, you must request your ballot in writing by noon on Saturday, May 5. Absentee ballot applications are available at MyOhioVote.com and should be sent to your county board of elections. Once you have filled out your ballot, you can either mail it back to your county board of elections or drop it off in person. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Monday, May 7, and ballots dropped off in person must be received by the close of the polls on Election Day. Ohioans opting to vote absentee will have more than 650 hours to complete their ballot in time for the May Primary.

Absentee in-person voting is another great option for anyone who may not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day.

Starting on April 10, early voting centers will be open in all 88 counties Monday through Friday, as well as the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. This gives voters 22 days and 199 hours to cast an absentee ballot in person.

As always, voters can also head to the polls on Election Day which will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

In the 2018 Primary Election, Ohio voters will not only decide which candidates for a number of statewide and local races move onto the General Election in November, but also whether a statewide ballot issue that will transform the way congressional districts are drawn and 477 local issues are approved or rejected.

With so many important decisions facing Ohioans in this election, it doesn’t matter how you vote – by mail, early in person, or on Election Day – so long as you do vote because your vote has the power to shape the future of our state and local communities.

Jon Husted is the 53rd Ohio Secretary of State.