GENERAL VOTING INFORMATION IN OHIO Voting To vote in Ohio, you must be: A United States citizen At least 18 years old on the day of election (exception - at a Primary Election you may vote for candidates, but not on issues, if you will be 18 years of age by the General Election) A resident of Ohio for 30 days before a General, Primary or Special Election New residents must register to vote 30 days prior to the date of the election at which they wish to vote. Citizens who have not voted at least one time within the last four years must register again. YOUR VOTE COUNTS! As a voter you… must be provided with a voting machine that is in working condition, must be provided with another ballot if you made a mistake, may request up to three ballots due to mistakes you made, can ask for written or verbal instructions, can receive help in voting if you ask for it, can bring an aide or interpreter if you are disabled or have a language barrier, cannot be prevented from voting for any reason if you are a registered voter, can vote if you are in line at the correct polling location at the time the polls close, must be given an explanation and offered a resolution if you are not allowed to vote 2004 Voter Registration Deadlines Election Registration Deadline March 2 Primary Election February 2 August 3 Special Election* July 6 November 2 General Election October 4 * Elections only held where necessary, not county-wide. The National Mail Voter Registration Form The National Mail Voter Registration Form is the one document that allows you to register to vote from anywhere in the United States. The National Form can be used to: Register out-of-town tourist and convention groups Register people from surrounding States who work, shop, or attend events in a central city Conduct voter registration drives, especially at colleges and universities Register individuals at State agencies or other public offices Please Note the Following Exceptions: New Hampshire town and city clerks will accept this application only as a request for their own mail-in absentee voter registration form. North Dakota does not have voter registration. Wyoming cannot accept this form under State law. The following six States do not accept voter registration applications completed on xerox weight paper and will only accept applications that have been completed on specified heavy card stock: Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, and South Carolina. You may obtain a State voter registration form by written request mailed to the address of the State election office listed in the State Instructions. The remaining States that accept the national form will accept copies of the application printed from the computer image on regular paper stock, signed by the applicant, and mailed in an envelope with first class postage. In completing this application, be sure to follow the General Instructions as well as the Application Instructions and specific State Instructions for your State which include the address to use for mailing the application. Ohio Election Office: LORAIN Local Office Location: 115 Cedar Street Elyria, OH 44035 Phone:440-326-5900 Ohio Election Office: CUYAHOGA Local Office Location: 2925 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115-2497 Phone:216-443-3200 Ohio Election Office: HURON Local Office Location: County Administration Building Norwalk, OH 44857 Phone:419-668-8238 Ohio Election Office: ERIE Local Office Location: 2900 Columbus Avenue Sandusky, OH 44870 Phone:419-627-7601 Ohio Election Office: SANDUSKY Local Office Location: 2020 Countryside Drive Fremont, OH 43420 Phone:41 Ohio Election Office: SENECA Local Office Location: 71 South Washington Street, Suite 1101 Tiffin, OH 44883-0667 Phone:419-447-4424 Links to Related Sites League of Women Voters www.lwv.org: For general information on voting, civic participation, or current public policy issues such as election reform, campaign finance reform and health care. Ohio Secretary of State www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/ The Ohio Secretary of State's office is responsible for the administration of election laws; compiling and maintaining election statistics, political party records and other election-related records.		What is advocacy? Advocacy is defined as “the act or process of advocating or supporting a cause or proposal.” What is early care and education advocacy? Early care and education advocacy is a very broad expression that includes all types of support for any public policy issues related to early care and education. What is public policy? “Public” and “policy” are two words generally used when referring to the laws, regulations, processes and programs that govern us What are some public policy issues related to early care and education? Public funding for early care and education – such as the early care and education subsidy for qualifying families and Head Start funding Development of other financial mechanisms to support the cost of early care and education – public/private partnerships Giving all families better access to early care and education Improving the quality of early care and education – through accreditation, provider credentialing, and stronger regulation Development of curricula for early care and education programs that ensure school readiness Why is early care and education public policy important to me? Because we are taxpayers and a portion of the taxes we pay support early care and education Because early care and education laws and regulations adopted by national, state and local governments have a direct impact on us Because increases or decreases in federal, state and local funding for early care and education have a direct impact on us How do I “do” early care and education advocacy? Learn about current public policy issues related to early care and education Read your local newspaper Go online and visit these sites Children's Defense Fund National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) National Association of Child Care Professionals National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies National Black Child Development Institute National Child and Adult Care Food Program Forum National Child Care Association National Head Start Association National School-Age Care Alliance Contact your local early care and education resource and referral agency Decide what your opinions are about these issues Contact your federal state, state and local legislators with your opinions By writing them a letter By faxing them By e-mailing them By calling them By visiting them Talk with your neighbors and friends about these issues and share your opinions with them Ask “What do think about…?” Encourage your neighbors and friends to contact their federal, state and local legislators with their opinions Organize a letter-writing, telephoning, faxing, e-mailing or visiting campaign with your friends and neighbors to inform your national, state and local elected officials of your opinions Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper stating your opinions about these issues Join a local, state or national organization that shares and supports your views Vote for elected officials who share and support your opinions Volunteer to help elect a candidate who shares and supports your opinions Volunteer to share your opinion at a public hearing for new or changing legislation Make a financial contribution to a candidate or organization that shares and supports your opinions Don’t I need some special skills or training to be a early care and education advocate? No. Anyone who has an opinion about early care and education public policy can be an advocate. All you need is a little time and commitment to the issues.