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2012 – Voter Registration Form

The Falls of the Ohio River (Photo credit: www78)

2012 Election

In the first article in this series of articles, we discussed who is legally allowed to vote. One of the requirements to voting is the ‘Registering to Vote’. Requiring an elector to register to vote is to make sure that the person is allowed to vote and will be able to vote only once. Not all political groups believe in this philosophy and advocate multiple registrations and voting. Unfortunately, these actions have resulted in voter fraud in the past and will continue in the future, until the entire nation establishes laws that attempt to restrict this practice.

Voter Registration Form

In the last article we determined that anyone allowed to vote can get a Voter Registration Form. Filling out this registration form is easy. The difficult part in filling out this form in insuring that the form is filled out completely and correctly. Filling out this form does need certain parts to be filled out.^{. [1] 3503.05}  You may get help filling out this form from a friend or family member, if needed, OR call the Board of Elections in your county (see below).

The following explanation is provided for each line:

1. Are you a U.S. citizen? This line is required to be filled out. The previous article stated that to vote you must be a U.S. citizen. This line requires that you check the yes or no box stating whether you are a U.S. citizen or not. ^{[1] 3503.01 [1] 3503.07}
2. Will you be at least 18 years of age on or before the general election? This line is required to be filled out. The previous article stated that to vote you must be at least 18 years on or before November 6, 2012. This line requires that you check the yes or no box stating whether you are 18 years old or not. ^{[1] 3503.01 [1]3503.011 [1] 3503.07}

If you answered NO to either of the questions, do not complete this form.

What identification is required to register to vote? ^[2]

When registering to vote, you must give your name, current residential address for voting purposes, date of birth, signature (see below) and a qualifying form of identification. ^[2]

A qualifying form of identification includes a current and valid photo identification; military identification; or a copy of a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill (including cell phone bill), bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a voter registration acknowledgement notification mailed by the board of elections, that shows the voter’s name and current address. ^[2]

1. Last name      First Name     Middle Name or Initial          Jr., II, etc. Verify that your legal name (as may be changed by marriage) appears on this line and this same name is the one on your qualifying form of identification^{. [1]3503.14}
2. House Number and Street (Enter new address if changed)           Apt. or Lot# Verify that your house number, street, and apt. or lot# appears on this line and this same address is the one on your qualifying form of identification. ^{. [1]3503.02 [1]3503.03[1]3503.04 [1]3503.14}

May a college student register and vote from his or her school address in Ohio? ^[2]

It depends. A college student may vote using his or her Ohio school residence address if the student does not intend to return to a different permanent address. When a college student registers to vote from his or her school address, the school residence is considered to be the place to which the student’s habitation is fixed and to which, when the student is absent, the student intends to return, and is considered by the student to be his or her permanent residence at the time of voting. Any other previous residence for voting purposes is no longer valid. It is illegal for a person to register and vote from two different addresses. ^[2]

What are my obligations to keep the board of elections informed of address or name changes? ^[2]

If you are already registered to vote but have moved within Ohio and/or changed your name, you must update your voter registration by submitting a new voter registration form or change of address form for your new residence and/or name. . ^{[1]3503.16 [1]3503.19  [2]}

Ohio’s voter registration application also serves as a change of address and change of name form. A form may be obtained online at http://www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov, at all locations where voter registration forms may be obtained (see page 5). ^[2]

If your change of name and/or address form is completed properly, the board of elections will update your registration and send you a notice reflecting your new name and/or address. If your form is incomplete, the board will send you a notice of the information necessary to update your registration. If your valid change of name and/or address form is received or postmarked by the voter registration deadline, then you will be eligible to vote a regular (and not a provisional) ballot at that election. ^{[1]3503.19 [2]}

You may also update your registration during the 28 days immediately before, or on the day of, an election, but this may need you to vote a “provisional ballot” as described in a later article. ^[2]

Line 12 is for changing your address and Line 13 is for your name change. See below.

1. City or Post Office:

This line asks for the City of your residence. This may be the either the city on your correspondence or the real municipality of your home. (i.e. I may have a mailing address of Cincinnati but live in Cheviot and I can use either city on the form.) The Post Office refers to the branch of the US Postal Service.

1. Zip Code: The 5 digit zip code is enough.
2. Additional Rural or Mailing Address (if necessary): This could include the name of an Apartment Building or Complex, a Subdivision, etc.
3. County where you live: Be careful if you live on the border of two counties. If you are not sure, you can call the Board of Elections of the county in which you believe you live in.
4. Birthdate: To make sure that you are 18 years old, your birthdate MUST be provided. ^{. [1]3503.14}
5. Ohio driver’s license No. OR last 4 digits of your Social Security No. (One form of ID required to be listed or provided. ^{. [1]3503.14}

Line 10 requires that you give the information or copy of the qualifying form of identification you intend to vote with.

The Ohio Driver’s License or Ohio Identification has an 8 digit ID No. The ID has 2 letters followed by 6 numbers.

The Military issues 3 types of identification:

• Common Access Card
• DD Form 2
• DD form 1173

Copy of a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill (including cell phone bill), bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a voter registration acknowledgement notification mailed by the board of elections, that shows the voter’s name and current address. ^{. [1]3503.14[2]}

Registering in person:

If you have a current valid Ohio driver’s license, you must give that number. If you do not have an Ohio driver’s license number, you must give the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither, an identification number will be issued to you by the county board of elections. ^[2]

Registering by U.S. mail:

If you register by mail and do not give either a current Ohio driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number, you must enclose with your application a copy of one of the following forms of identification: current valid photo identification card, military identification, or a current (within one year) utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or government document showing your name and current address. ^[2]

1. Phone No. (Voluntary): Self Explanatory
2. PREVIOUS ADDRESS IF UPDATING CURRENT REGISTRATION – Previous House No. and Street            Previous City or Post Office            County            State:
3. CHANGE OF NAME ONLY Former Legal Name             Former Signature

If you are already registered to vote but have moved within Ohio and/or changed your name, you must update your voter registration by submitting a new voter registration form or change of address form for your new residence and/or name^{. [1]3503.16 [2]}

A registered elector may also change the elector’s registration on election day at any polling place where the elector is eligible to vote, in the manner provided under section 3503.16 of the Revised Code. ^{[1] 3503.19}

Prior to the Signature Block, there is a declaration that you must make and that declaration is deemed to have been made when you sign in the signature block. This declaration states : I declare under penalty of election falsification I am a citizen of the United States, will have lived in this state 30 days immediately preceding the next election, and will be at least 18 years of age at the time of the general election.

The back of the Voter Registration Form states: WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.

1. Your Signature           Date    MO     DAY    YR: (example) 11/6/1994^.

You are required to sign your signature within the box. This signature will be the same signature that you will place in the pollbook. The Date is the date in which you signed the registration form; however, the date that the Board of Election receives and processes your form is the date establishing the date you registered to vote. You must be registered 30 days before the election to vote. ^{[1] 3503.01 [1] 3503.07 [1]3503.14 [1]3503.19}

Do I have to sign my voter registration application?

Yes. Ohio law requires the applicant to sign the voter registration application. “Sign” or “signature” means your written, cursive-style legal mark written in your own handwriting. If you do not use a cursive-style legal mark in your regular business and legal affairs, “sign” or “signature” means any other legal mark that you use in your regular business and legal affairs that is written in your own handwriting. ^[2]

What if I am unable to sign my voter registration form or other election documents?

If you are unable to sign your own name and have no other legal mark, make an “X,” if possible, on the application signature line. The person who saw you making that mark must write his or her name beneath the signature line. ^{. [1]3503.14[2]}

If you are unable to make an “X,” you must show in some way to the person assisting you that you want to register to vote. The person registering you must sign the application form and attest that you indicated that you want to register to vote. ^{[1]3503.14[2]}

May a person who has my “power of attorney” sign my name to my voter registration application?

No. However, if by reason of disability you are unable to physically sign your name or affix your mark to the application, you may appoint an “attorney in-fact” in accordance with the specific requirements of R.C. 3501.382. Your attorney-in-fact then may sign a voter registration application on your behalf, but only at your direction and in your presence. Contact your county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office for the proper forms necessary to appoint an “attorney-in-fact” for this purpose. ^[2]

Questions:

May I vote if I have been convicted of a crime?

A person serving time in jail or prison for a felony conviction can neither register to vote nor vote. Additionally, a person who has twice been convicted of a violation of Ohio’s elections laws is permanently barred from voting in Ohio. An otherwise qualified person convicted of a misdemeanor may vote, and an otherwise qualified person who had been convicted of a felony may register and vote while on probation or parole, or after completing his or her jail or prison sentence^{. [1]3503.18 [1]3503.21[2]}

The voter registration of a person who is incarcerated on a felony conviction is cancelled; once that person has completed his or her jail or prison sentence, or is on probation, parole or community control, he or she must re-register to vote by the registration deadline before voting. ^[2]

What happens after I submit my voter registration application?

If the information contained on your application is complete and truthful, the board of elections for the county in which you live will accept your voter registration application. The board must register you to vote not later than 20 business days after receiving your application and promptly mail a notice to your voting residence address confirming that you are registered to vote, identifying your voting precinct and the location of your precinct, and stating the identification requirements for voting. ^{[1]3503.05 [1]3503.19 [2]}

If you do not receive a notice that your registration was accepted or rejected, please contact your county board of elections before Election Day to determine if the board received your application^{. [1]3503.05[2]}

Can I check my voter information online?

Yes. You may check your voter information by performing a search on the Secretary of State’s website: http://www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov. If performing such a search returns the information you registered, your county board of elections has successfully processed your voter registration form. If the search does not return your information, please contact your county board of elections to check on the status of your registration. You should do this kind of search before the deadline to register to vote so that in the event that the board of elections did not receive your information, or if it is not correct, you have time to submit a new form before the deadline. ^[2]

Contact Us (Secretary of State)

(614) 466-2655
(877) SOS-OHIO (767-6446)
TTY (614) 466-0562
Toll-free TTY (877) 644-6889
E-mail The Office

180 E. Broad St., 16th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215

State Directory of County Offices of the Board of Elections ^[3]

BUTLER COUNTY
Get Directions
Princeton Road Campus
1802 Princeton Rd., Suite 600
Hamilton, OH 45011
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(Monday – Friday)
Telephone: (513) 887-3700
Fax: (513) 887-5535
E-mail:
butler@OhioSecretaryofState.gov
Website:
www.butlercountyelections.org

CLERMONT COUNTY
Get Directions
76 S. Riverside Dr.
Batavia, OH 45103
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(Monday – Friday)
Telephone: (513) 732-7275
Fax: (513) 732-7330
E-mail:
clermont@OhioSecretaryofState.gov
Website:
www.clermontelections.org

HAMILTON COUNTY
Get Directions
824 Broadway
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
(Monday – Friday)
Telephone: (513) 632-7000
Fax: (513) 579-0988
E-mail:
hamilton@OhioSecretaryofState.gov
Website:
www.votehamiltoncounty.org

WARREN COUNTY
Get Directions
406 Justice Dr., Room 323
Lebanon, OH 45036
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(Monday – Friday)
Telephone: (513) 695-1358
Fax: (513) 695-2953
E-mail:
warren@OhioSecretaryofState.gov
Website:
www.co.warren.oh.us/bdelec/index.asp

References:

[1] Title XXXV, Ohio Revised Code

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/35

[2] 2012 Ohio Voter Information Guide

Issued by the office of the Ohio Secretary of State

Click to access vig_2012.pdf

[3] County Board of Elections Directory

Issued by the office of the Ohio Secretary of State

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electionsofficials/boeDirectory.aspx

 Vote Early and by Absentee Ballot. An article on Absentee Voting will be  written after the next three articles on Voter Fraud.

Related articles

• 2012 Election – Eligibility to Vote (cincinnatipoliticalactivism.com)