[NFBOH-Cleveland] Make Sure Your Vote Counts

Thu Apr 5 15:21:53 UTC 2018

What You Need to Know About VotingIn the May 8th Primary

April 9th Ends Voter Registration
April 10 Early Voting and Vote by Mail Begins

View Ballots on Line and
Track your ballot on line at  https://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/

May 8th Ohio Primary

Additional Detailss:

1. Be absolutely certain you are registered to vote. Try to avoid
provisional voting.
 Be sure your address is current. Address changes can be made on line.
Contact the Board of Elections at 216-443-8683 or
https://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/

2. Request an absentee ballot today.
Absentee Voting begins April 10th.

3. Vote in person at the Board of Elections.

2925 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Phone: 216-443-8683

Beginning April 10th 8:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.

April 30 thru May 4th 8:00 A.M.-7:00 P.M.

Saturday May 5th 8:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.

Sunday May 6th 1:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M.

Monday May 7th 8:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

Tuesday May 8th No Voting at the Board of Elections

4. Vote at your polling location.
Tuesday May 8th 6:30 A.M.-7:00 P.M.

* To make accessibility-related requests or report barriers, please
contact Beth Braun at bbraun at nfb.org or (410) 659-9314, extension
2369.
(revised October 2017)

* MYTHS ABOUT VOTING AND VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES
MYTH: PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CANNOT BRING SOMEONE WITH THEM TO HELP THEM VOTE.
TRUTH:
If you cannot mark your ballot or if you need assistance because of
your disability, you may bring someone with you to help you vote, or
you may ask for assistance from precinct election officials. You may
ask anyone to help you vote, except for the following people:
• Your employer
• An agent of your employer
• An agent of your union
• Any candidate whose name appears on the ballot in your precinct.
You may also get help in marking your ballot from precinct election
officials from two different political parties. By law, no one who
helps you vote can tell you how to mark your ballot or provide
information to others about how you voted. (R.C. 3505.24
MYTH: ABSENTEE BALLOTS DO NOT GET COUNTED.
TRUTH:
All absentee ballots that are received on time and meet Ohio's legal
requirements will be counted and included in the official election
returns.
MYTH: ONLY DESIGNATED POLLING LOCATIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE.
TRUTH:
In Ohio, all voting locations must be made accessible for people with
disabilities. Under state and federal law, voters with disabilities
must be given the same opportunity for access and participation as any
other voter.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with
disabilities from receiving unequal treatment within state and local
government services, programs, and activities. (ADA, Title II)  This
law protects your right to vote by making sure that voters with
disabilities have access to:
• Accessible parking
• An accessible route to the  entrance
• An accessible entrance
• An accessible route  to the voting area
• Voting procedures
• Voting machines
The Help American Vote Act (HAVA) protects the right of people with
disabilities to vote by making sure that:
• Voting locations are easy to get to and to use.
• People who are blind or have problems seeing get the help they need.
• Voting is private and personal.
• Each polling location has an accessible voting machine.
Ohio law protects your right to vote by requiring:
• Voting locations to be free of any barriers to entrances or exits.
• Voting locations to have ramps, wide doors, and accessible parking.
MYTH: PEOPLE WHO HAVE A GUARDIAN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE.
TRUTH:
Having a guardian does not take away a person's right to vote. As long
as you meet eligibility requirements and have not been declared
incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court, you are qualified
to register and vote.
MYTH: NURSING HOME RESIDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE.
TRUTH:
If a person has a disability and is confined to a public or private
institution, the county board of elections can deliver a ballot to
them. Two election officials of different political parties will
deliver the ballot and return the ballot to the board of elections.
Voting with a mail-in absentee ballot is also an option. Contact your
local board of elections to receive details regarding their process.
MYTH: VOTERS NEED TO HAVE A REASON TO VOTE ABSENTEE BY MAIL OR
ABSENTEE IN-PERSON.
TRUTH:
In Ohio, voters do not need to state a reason to vote absentee.
Absentee voting is an option for all Ohio registered voters. A ballot
can be requested by mail or voted in person at a county board of
elections or the designated early voting location.
MYTH: POLLING LOCATIONS DO NOT HAVE ACCESSIBLE VOTING MACHINES.
TRUTH:
The Help America Vote Act requires each polling location to have one
voting machine that is accessible for people with disabilities,
including non-visual accessibility for the blind and
visually-impaired.
In Ohio, every polling location is required to have a voting machine
that is accessible to individuals with disabilities.   These machines
include features like audio ballots, Braille touch pads, large
print/zoom features, and height and tilt adjustments on the screens.
When you arrive at your polling location, please let the poll workers
know if you would like to use the ADA compliant voting machines.
MYTH: A DRIVER'S LICENSE IS REQUIRED TO VOTE.
TRUTH:
All voters must bring acceptable identification to the polls in order
to verify identity. Acceptable 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.
MYTH: I CANNOT USE A "POWER OF ATTORNEY."
TRUTH: Even though a "Power of Attorney" cannot sign your name to your
voter registration, 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
designate an "attorney-in-fact" for this purpose.
MYTH: I CANNOT REGISTER IF I DO NOT HAVE A TRADITIONAL SIGNATURE.
TRUTH: 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 witnessed you making that mark must write his or her name
beneath the signature line.
If you are unable to make an "X," you must indicate in some manner 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.
Generally, signing or affixing a signature to an election-related
document requires a person’s written, cursive-style legal mark written
in that person’s own hand. However, a voter with a disability may
personally affix his or her signature through the use of a reasonable
accommodation, including the use of assistive technology or an
augmentative device such as a signature stamp. See R.C. 3501.011,
3501.382(F) and related OAG 2015-012.
MYTH: I MAY NOT UTILIZE CURBSIDE VOTING.
TRUTH: At any polling place that is exempt from the accessibility
requirements, if you have a disability and are  unable to enter the
polling place, you may vote curbside. Two precinct election officials
from the major political parties will bring a ballot to you. You may
sit in your car and vote, or you may vote at the door of the building.
USEFUL FORMS
• 10-F Attorney-In-Fact Authorization Executed Before a Notary Public
(opens in a new window)
• 10-G Attorney-In-Fact Authorization with Physician Statement
(opens in a new window)
• 10-H Revocation of Authorization as Attorney-In-Fact
(opens in a new window)
• 11-B Application by Voter who requires assistance or is hospitalized
due to accident or medical emergency

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