Hamilton County voters still holding absentee ballots face a new deadline this election: deliver them by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, or they will not count.

Senate Bill 293 (SB 293), signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, eliminated the four-day grace period Ohio previously allowed for receiving mail-in ballots after Election Day, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Under the old rule, ballots could arrive up to four days after the election and still be counted, so long as they were postmarked by the day before, according to Cleveland.com. That cushion is gone.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Oct. 27 that mailing a ballot at this point may not work. "It is still legally permissible to mail in your ballot, but it may not be a good idea given the time it takes for things to move through the postal service," LaRose said, according to Cleveland.com.

The exception applies to military and overseas voters, whose ballots follow a separate timeline.

Where to drop off your ballot

For Hyde Park, Oakley and Mount Lookout residents, the drop-off location is the Hamilton County Board of Elections at 4700 Smith Road in Cincinnati. Voters can deliver ballots inside the office or at its drop box, according to LaRose.

The Board of Elections is open for early voting and ballot drop-off on the following schedule, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's voting schedule:

  • Thursday, Oct. 29 and Friday, Oct. 30: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 1: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 3 (Election Day): 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

There is no early in-person voting Monday, according to WCPO.

About 235,000 ballots still out statewide

LaRose said about 235,000 absentee ballots across Ohio had not been returned as of Oct. 27, according to Cleveland.com. More than 1 million ballots had been returned statewide by that date, including nearly 700,000 early in-person ballots and over 491,000 returned absentee ballots, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Track your ballot or cast a provisional vote

Voters who already mailed their ballots can track them at voteohio.gov/track to confirm their county board received them, LaRose said.

If a mailed ballot has not arrived by Election Day, LaRose recommended voters go to their polling place on Nov. 3 and cast a provisional ballot. Election officials review provisional ballots after Election Day. If the absentee ballot did not arrive by the deadline, the provisional ballot is counted, according to Cleveland.com.

Hamilton County voters can check their registration status or contact the Board of Elections at (513) 946-8500.