Ohio’s primary election day is next week on May 5. Many Ohio voters have made their way to the polls and voted early for their favorable Ohio candidates for the November midterm elections.
There’s still time to vote early. Can you vote during the last weekend before election day? Here’s a look at Ohio’s weekend voting hours.
Can I vote this weekend in Ohio? Hours ahead of Election Day
The answer is yes, you can head to your nearest polling station and vote this weekend. Here are the weekend voting hours, according to the Ohio voting schedule:
May 3 is the last day for in-person early voting. Early voting will not be available on Monday, May 4.
What has changed with Ohio’s mail-in ballots?
Voting through a mail-in ballot? There are some changes voters should know.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, Senate Bill 293 requires absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls to be counted, with an exception for military and overseas voters.
Any mail-in or absentee ballots must now be received before or on Election Day by 7:30 p.m. in order to be counted. There is no longer a four-day grace period after Election Day.
Ohio’s primary election is May 5. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
So, when should you send your mail-in ballot in Ohio? The sooner the better. The U.S. Postal Service does not necessarily postmark your mail the day it is received unless you specifically request it. So, you ballot may not make it to a postal processing center until the day after you drop it in a mailbox.
When does Ohio early voting start and end? Key dates for early, absentee, mail-in voting
The primary election will be held May 5, 2026, according to this year’s voting schedule.
Early in‑person voting began on April 7 and includes the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also began on April 7.
On Election Day, May 5, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by 7:30 p.m., per the voting schedule.
Ohio voter registration deadlines for 2026 elections
Ohioans must register or update their voter registration no later than 30 days before an election. The registration deadline for the May 5 primary was April 6, 2026.
Ohioans planning to vote on Election Day 2026 have until Oct. 5, 2026, to register.
If you register or update your information after the deadline, the changes will apply for the next election.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio weekend voting hours, when early voting ends for primary election
Reporting by Mariyam Muhammad and Alex Perry, USA TODAY NETWORK / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
