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UpdateOhioMonday, November 2, 2026

Ohio ended grace period for mail ballots to arrive after Election Day

A new law requires mail ballots to be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Reporting by
The Columbus Dispatch
“Why you should plan to drop off your Ohio mail-in ballot on Election Day”, Monday, November 2, 2026
Read the full story
What happened

A new Ohio law eliminates the previous four-day grace period for receiving absentee ballots after Election Day, requiring mail-in ballots to be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026, to be counted. Senate Bill 293, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in December 2025, includes an exception for military and overseas voters. Secretary of State Frank LaRose said as of Oct. 27 it may already be too late to mail ballots in time.1

Voters are urged to drop off ballots directly at their county Board of Elections location.1

What it means in Ohio

What Ohio voters need to do

Absentee ballots must be received by the board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.2

Key dates in Ohio

Election Day in -1 days
  1. Mon, Oct 5 · passed
    Registration deadline
  2. Tue, Oct 6 · passed
    Early voting begins
  3. Tue, Oct 27 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
  4. Sun, Nov 1 · passed
    Early voting ends
  5. Tue, Nov 3 · passed
    Election Day; Mail ballots must arrive

Every date in Ohio, and who certifies the election

More on this story
Ohio · Nov 4
Ohio voters cast ballots Tuesday with updated mail ballot deadline
Reporting by WTAP
Ohio · Nov 3
Nearly 2 million Ohioans voted early, a record
Reporting by 13abc (WTVG)
The answers behind this
Mail and early votingVoting in Ohio, 2026When does a mail ballot have to arrive to count?Who certifies the election in Ohio, and by when?

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Sources

  1. The Columbus Dispatch, https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1wFBVV95cUxOMUVBM1lVakx0Q3g2dE9OQzJ0WDZENHl4MUdrQzNGNk5fcndtWDZCLUlrUHhzeDNlNjRRZWhkUEhmLVNNVEJkSTQ0RGx1RnRzcWo3aXR6OTU1X3N0dUFULU9lYWZMOWJQbThJUk9Pd18zYUliN0FORWozR2Zhbzc0RWpiQlNmZFhxWXpVT0xiZVNBWXlZaktGUjU0QjFHU29uTkt2RnVzM3Z4QU0xTXlOUHQxYTdiSHgxM2Z2SU9TVDFJRFVoM0gxbHZ5dHZSdnI4TkptMFN3TQ?oc=5 · Monday, November 2, 2026
  2. Vote.org, Ohio Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/ohio/

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