Presidential primary elections are quickly approaching and Gen Z has been recognized as a critical demographic that will have an impact on the candidates chosen this spring, and the presidential candidate who will win in November. That being said, the last major election was four years ago and many newly eligible voters aren’t registered. 

The deadline to register to vote for the upcoming primary election is February 20, 2024. Note that in order to vote in a primary election in Ohio, you must be affiliated with that party. You do not become affiliated with a party by registering. Under Ohio election law, you declare your political party affiliation by requesting the ballot of a political party in a primary election.

 There are 3 ways to register to vote. 

Online:

To register online you must access this website: https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/. And will need the following information: Ohio driver’s license or identification card number, full legal name, date of birth, address, and last four digits of your social security number. For further detail, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPIU_HlzLV0.

By Mail:

To register by mail you must print out the following form: https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/elections/forms/vr_form_english.pdf. After filling out the form with your information you can mail it to the Delaware County Board of Elections at PO Box 8006, Delaware, OH 43015-8006. If you are unable to print out this form, you can also ask the county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s office to mail a voter registration form to you.

In Person:

Voter registration forms are widely available but are most conveniently located in Student Services or at your nearest public library. You can then deliver this form to the Delaware County Board of Elections or the Secretary of State’s office. To be eligible, you should ensure your application reaches the office of a board of elections or the Secretary of State no later than the voter registration deadline.

After you have received confirmation that you have been registered, you can check your voter status at: https://voterlookup.ohiosos.gov/voterlookup.aspx.