Trevor Martin is hearing one thing come up again and again as he talks with students across Ohio’s college campuses ahead of November’s election.
It has to do with a long-established and well-managed part of Ohio’s elections: voting by mail.
“A big question this year is about mail-in voting and absentees, more than past years,” said Martin, program coordinator with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Ohio. “There’s a lot of confusion.”
He said that could be due to a flurry of recent related news. At the federal level, the Trump administration continues its fight to control the process.
And, among other state-level changes, Martin said, some students are questioning the validity of absentee ballot request forms they received in the mail (the documents, sent by state election officials during presidential and midterm election years, are legit).
But, before students can mail in a ballot or vote by any other method, they must first register to vote – and the clock is ticking to get that done.
Here are a few things college students should know ahead of Ohio’s Oct. 5 voter registration deadline.
Can college students register to vote using a campus address?
Yes. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office explicitly says college students can use their campus address when registering to vote – with a few caveats.
First, make sure that location falls within the state’s definition of a permanent residence. State law says this is a “permanent, fixed home,” or the place a resident plans to return to after being away. This address determines the races and issues a voter will ultimately vote on.
If a campus home fits that bill, students can list it on their registration form (more information on these forms is below). Addresses must be linked to a physical place, not a P.O. box or mailbox somewhere on campus.
Students – along with all voters – must meet all of the state’s eligibility requirements, too.
Ohio’s voting requirements, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office:
- You are a U.S. citizen.
- You have been an Ohio resident for at least 30 days immediately before the election.
- You are 18 years old on or before the next general election.
- If you are 17, you may vote in a primary election if you will be 18 by the general election, but you cannot vote on issues or party central committees.
- You are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction under state or federal law.
- You have not been permanently disqualified from voting for election-law violations.
- You have not been declared incompetent to vote by a probate court.
Once approved, your new campus address becomes your official voting residence. It replaces any previous locations. This means you can’t vote from anywhere else.
I attend an in-state school but still want to vote on my hometown’s issues and races. How do I do that?
Confirm your hometown address still fits the definition of a “permanent home,” and then use that address to complete your registration forms.
What if I move out of state for college but still want to vote in Ohio’s elections?
That’s an option as long as your Ohio address remains your permanent address. If that’s true, list that location on your registration forms.
Keep in mind that if you later register to vote in a different state, that place then becomes your new voting residence. You would then lose your right to vote in Ohio.
If that happens, election officials recommend canceling your Ohio voter registration by contacting the local elections board in the county where you originally registered.
I’m an out-of-state student attending college in Ohio. Can I vote here?
Yes, provided you meet general eligibility requirements and your campus address in Ohio is your permanent residence. Becoming an Ohio voter means you can’t vote in elections in any other state.
If you plan to eventually vote in-person, you’ll need to show current photo identification such as a U.S. passport, military ID or Ohio-issued identification card (such as a driver’s license).
Ohio no longer allows voters to use a utility bill or bank statement with a current Ohio address as a form of ID. Critics said that could add another hurdle to getting more college students to vote.
🗳️ Looking for clear, nonpartisan election info? See what to know about Ohio’s November 2026 election and how it could affect your community.
I’ve confirmed my address. How do I actually submit my registration?
You can fill out and submit your registration online here if you have an Ohio driver’s license or other Ohio-issued identification card. You’ll have to share that information, along with the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you don’t have one of those Ohio ID cards, you can print a hard copy of the form and mail it to your local county board of elections. You will have to submit the last four digits of your Social Security number. Make sure the documents will be postmarked or received by the Oct. 5 deadline.
Once the documents are approved, voters will receive a notice from their county board of elections.
I moved. How do I update my Ohio voter registration?
Voters have until the Oct. 5 deadline to make any changes. Use the same forms provided above and submit them by the deadline.
OK, I registered! How do I actually vote in Ohio’s elections?
Show up in-person on Election Day at your designated polling location. Find that information online here.
You can also vote early at your county board of elections. That window opens about a month before Election Day. Specific times vary, so check to make sure your local board is open before making a trip. Contact information and locations of all 88 boards in Ohio is online here.
Both of those in-person options require some form of valid photo IDs, such as a U.S. passport, military ID or Ohio-issued identification card (such as a driver’s license).
Voters can also request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. Photo IDs are not required to submit this form, but you will need to provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.
This year, mail-in ballots must be received by Election Day to be counted. Ohio lawmakers got rid of a four-day grace period in December of 2025.
I need registration help. Where can I go on campus?
Many colleges promote voter registration assistance as one of the many nonpartisan election resources offered as an election approaches.
A good starting point is to do an online search for a college’s name coupled with terms such as “civic engagement” or “votes.” That should lead to a school’s website, where most share information such as answers to frequently asked voting questions or calendars of upcoming election-related events.
At Ohio State University, trained students are popping up on campus on a near-daily basis to help their peers complete the registration process and provide additional information.
Cuyahoga Community College is hosting student-led events across its four Northeast Ohio campuses this month that aim to help explain how the voting process works.
And Martin and his group are visiting more than 40 campuses across the state to help students register before the Oct. 5 deadline.