KENT, Ohio — If you're an Ohioan and want to vote in the upcoming November election, the deadline to register is just hours away.
Tuesday: We'll publish our master guide on everything you need to know for the November election in Ohio.
Voting advocates at Kent State University are making sure they can sign up as many people as they can before the deadline.
"I feel like I'm growing up," laughed Mekhi Rice, a freshman at KSU.
Dozens of students like Rice are newly registered to vote.
"I feel like as me, being a Black man, I could do better for my community and just help out — like voting, that'll help," Rice told me.
Sherry Rose with the League of Women Voters spent the day talking to people like Rice, informing them that Monday is the last day they can register to vote in Ohio for the presidential election.
"As our buttons say, 'It is your voice, your vote, your power,'" Rose said, pointing to said button. "And that is where our power lies as citizens."
Rose partnered with Kent State Votes, the university's organization, to get students registered, not only to help people sign up but also to assist with checking or updating registration. They also helped students request absentee ballots.
Plus, the nonpartisan groups are giving insight into what the voting process looks like.
"There's more than just the president," Rose said. "We have all of the down ballot elections that are also so very important."
Many of the students I talked to didn't know this was the last day to get signed up or make changes to their registration.
"My friends were like, 'We should just do it,'" freshman Jaziah Gray said. Now that I'm 18, I was like, 'Why not?' I guess my voice does matter."
As of 4:30 p.m., The LWV has collected over 120 registrations and over 30 absentee ballot applications at just KSU.
"Your small vote means a lot," Rice said.
Early voting begins Tuesday. If you have requested an absentee ballot, you should get it starting Thursday or Friday, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. If you want to go early and in person, you must go to your local BOE.
Click here to find your polling location for election day on Nov. 5.
How you can register or make sure you're still registered
You can registerhere.
You can check your voter status by going to vote.ohio.gov or voteohio.gov. You can also go to your local BOE or give them a call to ask about your status.
If you've moved, you should update your registration, as well.
On Friday, the CCBOE did its routine tests of their tabulating equipment. Director Tony Perlatti went through the whole process — from casting your vote to submitting your ballot to how it's securely handled and counted.
RELATED: Are you registered to vote? Are you sure? Here's how to check.
You need to bring a photo ID when voting in person. Acceptable forms are a valid Ohio driver's license, a U.S. passport or a military ID. You may no longer use bank statements or utility bills.
Other acceptable forms of ID are a state of Ohio ID card, an interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV, a U.S. passport card, an Ohio National Guard ID card and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card.
Other unacceptable forms of ID are a driver’s license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio; a Social Security card, birth certificate, insurance card, government check, paycheck or other government document; or any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections.
The IDs must have an expiration date that has not passed, a photograph of the voter, and the voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book.
If you do not have any of the approved forms of identification, you are allowed to cast a provisional ballot. To have your vote counted, you must return to the BOE within four days of the election to provide a photo ID.
Nonpartisan voter helpline
If you have any questions or concerns about voting, a nonpartisan helpline has been created.
Call or text 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to speak with a trained Election Protection volunteer in English.
The hotline also comes in different languages
Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
