In a little over a month, the 2026 midterm election polls will open. Registered university students should be thinking of their plan for voting, including on-campus and off-campus methods, come Nov. 3.
The university houses a polling location within Schneider located on the first floor of the Harry C. Moores Student Union. If you are registered to vote within Franklin County, you can vote in person in Schneider on Election Day. The university does not support early in-person voting.
At any polling location, a valid state ID is required for first-time voters.
Ohioans can check their voter county registration on iwillvote.com.
Senior Alayna Blanchard, a previous civic engagement intern at the university, said, “If you are unable to go to your home county to vote, you have two possible options.”
If you are not registered to vote within Franklin County, you can update your voter registration and change your address to the university; however, the voting registration for the Nov. 3 election deadline is closed as of Oct. 5. Any change would only apply to future elections.
“The second (and only possible option if you wish to vote in the Nov. 3 election) is to apply for an absentee ballot,” Blanchard said.
Absentee ballots allow you to vote for your home county by mail or in person at some locations prior to Election Day. Any registered Ohio voter can vote absentee, but you need to request it.
On or off campus, polls are open on Nov. 3 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
“Come in with a plan,” Blanchard said. “Look up what is on the ballot for your county, research candidates, look up questions, talk with a friend, make plans to go vote with a group.”
“Voting for the first time can be scary, but your voice matters a lot more than you think.”
