Early in-person voting for the Nov. 3, 2026 general election continues this week in Ashland County, with the Ashland County Board of Elections open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 23, according to the board’s published early voting schedule. All early voting in the county takes place at the board office, 110 Cottage St., Suite 106, in Ashland.
Early voting began Oct. 6, the day after Ohio’s Oct. 5 voter registration deadline, and absentee voting by mail began the same day, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s 2026 voting schedule. Ashland County voters who have not yet cast a ballot can vote in person at the board office throughout this week without an appointment, during the posted 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours.
Hours expand in the final stretch. The board will be open Saturday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., then Monday, Oct. 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Voting continues Wednesday, Oct. 28 through Friday, Oct. 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 1 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Early voting ends at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Voters who prefer to vote by mail face a key deadline next week. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the board of elections by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, according to the Secretary of State. Completed absentee ballots can be returned by mail, in person, or through the board’s 24-hour drop box on the south side of the Ashland County Office Building, at the corner of West Main and Cottage streets.
The return deadline for mail ballots is tighter this year. Under Ohio Senate Bill 293, regular absentee ballots must be received by the board by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, to be counted, eliminating the former four-day grace period for ballots arriving after Election Day. Military and overseas voters are treated differently under the Secretary of State’s schedule, with their ballots required to be received by Nov. 7.
On the Nov. 3 ballot, Ashland County voters will decide local contests and issues including a developmental disabilities levy and a county commissioner race, in addition to statewide and federal races. Voters can preview their specific ballot before they go — the board of elections provides sample ballots, along with voter registration status, absentee ballot status and polling location lookup tools, through its website at boe.ohio.gov/ashland.
For voters who wait until Election Day, polls across Ashland County will be open Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at each voter’s assigned polling location, which is different from the early voting site. The board of elections can be reached at 419-282-4224 for questions about early voting hours, absentee applications or polling locations.