Voting for military and overseas personnel is underway for the upcoming primary, which will be held on May 4, 2021.

Military and overseas voters who have not yet registered to vote or submitted a request for an absentee ballot can still do so by visiting the Ohio Secretary of State's election website. 

According to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, users in some countries or unsecured locations may not be able to immediately access their county or state website. If that happens, voters can visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website or call the Ohio Secretary of State's Office at 614-466-2585. 

A qualifying family member can also request a ballot for military and overseas personnel. That person can use a form called 11-E. It can be requested by mail or in person at your board of elections, LaRose says. 

Absentee ballots can be returned by the U.S. Postal Service, APO/FPO System, diplomatic pouch or another delivery service such as UPS or FedEx or in person.

An absentee ballot must arrive at the board office by the close of polls on election day if delivered in person. An absentee ballot returned by mail should be submitted for mailing no later than 12:01 a.m. at the place where the voter completes the ballot, on the date of the election. It must arrive at the board of elections office on or before the 10th day after the election, according to LaRose. 

All other Ohio voters can begin voting on April 6, 2021 in person and by mail-in absentee ballot for the May 4 primary election. 

The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration ahead of the May 4 election is April 5, 2021. Voters may go to VoteOhio.gov to register online or update an existing registration. Voter registration forms can also be printed from VoteOhio.gov or picked up at a local library or county board of elections office.

The full 2021 elections calendar is available online.