Governor Mike DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, issued an order to close all polling locations in Ohio on March 17, 2020 due to the risk of COVID-19 exposure by both voters and poll workers.
In response, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a directive (see page 2) that the March 17, 2020 Presidential Primary Election is suspended until June 2, 2020 with the following guidelines:
- No new voter registrations will be processed for the June 2, 2020 presidential primary election. The February 18, 2020 voter registration deadline remains the deadline.
- Boards of elections will be open on March 17, 2020 to receive any absentee ballots at the boards of elections through 7:30 p.m.
- Ohio voters will be able to vote by mail via an extended absentee ballot period. The boards of elections are required to process absentee ballot applications received at the board of elections postmarked by Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 1, 2020 and must be received by the boards of elections no later than Friday, June 12, 2020
- On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, boards of elections must conduct in-person voting at polling locations in their county. The polls will be open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. that day.
Please see the Summit County Board of Elections website for updated information on the June 2, 2020 primary election.