Signal Cleveland's Voter Guide

Northeast Ohioans have a lot to vote on this year.

We will help select the next president of the United States. And our pick for the U.S. Senate may change the party balance in the upper house.

Moving down the ballot, voters will determine who will represent them at the Statehouse; weigh in on the state amendment to change how voting districts are drawn, Issue 1; consider a replacement of a tax on cigarettes to fund the arts, Issue 55; and in Cleveland, vote on a tax levy for the school district, Issue 49.

People also can vote for county judges who hear felony and juvenile cases, as well as appeals.

Signal Cleveland created this nonpartisan voter guide to help Greater Clevelanders understand what is on their ballot and vote with confidence.

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How can I check my registration?

You can check your voter registration on the Secretary of State’s website.
Or you can call the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (BOE) at 216-443-8683 and select #2.

Vote early in person or by mail

In Ohio, early in-person voting began on October 8. And it ends the Sunday before Election Day, Nov 3.

All in-person early voting takes place at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, 2925 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.

If you plan to vote in person, don’t forget your ID. Ohio requires photo ID to vote in-person. (A digital ID/driver license is not acceptable for voting.) Anyone who needs a state ID can get one for free at their local BMV office.

Click here for the early in-person voting days and hours and parking instructions or how to request an absentee ballot. Get directions to the board of elections here.

How do I find my polling place?

You can check your current polling location here. Or you can call the BOE at 216-443-8683 and select #2. A few polling locations have changed so it does not hurt to double-check.

You can vote in-person at your assigned polling place on Nov. 5. Polls will be open from from 6:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m.

Taking public transportation to vote? Ride free on RTA anywhere in Cuyahoga County without a fare or tickets from 3 a.m. November 5 until 3 a.m. November 6.

🗳️For more on this year’s November election, visit our Election Signals 2024 page.

What issues are on my ballot?

When you check your polling place you can see a sample ballot for your precinct.
You can check the League of Women Voters’ Vote 411 for a short summary of the local issues in cities throughout Cuyahoga County.

Check out Signal Cleveland’s explainers on:
Issue 1, the state amendment to change how voting districts are drawn.
Issue 55, a replacement of a tax on cigarettes to fund the arts.
Issue 49, a tax levy for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Read more about the school district here.

Here’s some help with the jargon

Politics is full of jargon. To help make it feel a little more accessible, Signal Cleveland started this glossary of common terms and concepts.

Can I print a sample ballot?

You can print a sample ballot here. If you are voting in-person, you can bring your sample ballot or your own notes into the voting booth.

What candidates are are on the ballot?

Greater Cleveland voters will choose judges for Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, the Eighth District Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Ohio, along with the candidates for president, senate, congress, the statehouse and county offices.

Still have questions?

If there’s something you’ve been wondering about that’s not on the list, please let us know by emailing hello@signalcleveland.org or texting 216-220-9398.

Editor’s Note: The template for this voter guide was based off of Mountain State Spotlight’s 2024 West Virginia voter guide and PublicSource’s Election guide 2024: Who’s on the ballot in the in the Pittsburgh region? The candidate profiles were built with Govpack, a plugin supported by Newspack and part of the Knight Election Hub.