Perry County voters can cast an early in-person ballot from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this week, as early voting for the November 3 general election continues at the Perry County Board of Elections in New Lexington. The weekday hours, set under the statewide schedule from the Ohio Secretary of State, apply from Monday, October 19, through Friday, October 23, giving voters a full workday window to vote before Election Day.
All early in-person voting in the county takes place at the board office, at 200 S. Jackson St. in New Lexington. Voters with questions can reach the office by phone at 740-342-2134. The board’s regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but early voting follows the separate statewide schedule, so the doors stay open for voting until 5 p.m. on each weekday this week.
Hours expand in the final week before the election. Early voting will be available on Saturday, October 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., then on Monday, October 26, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Tuesday, October 27, voting runs from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., followed by hours of 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. from Wednesday, October 28, through Friday, October 30.
The last weekend of early voting brings two more chances to cast a ballot in person. The board office will be open on Saturday, October 31, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, November 1, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is no early voting on Monday, November 2, the day before the election, so voters who want to vote early should plan to finish by that Sunday afternoon.
Voters who prefer to vote absentee by mail face an important deadline in that final week. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the board by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27. Early voting itself began on October 6, and the schedule has widened as Election Day approaches, moving from regular weekday hours to the extended hours of the final week.
Anyone who does not vote early will vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, when polls across Ohio will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Election Day voting happens at each voter’s assigned precinct polling place, not at the board office. Early voting, by contrast, is held only at the board office in New Lexington, no matter where in Perry County a voter lives.
For Perry County residents, the choice comes down to timing and convenience. Voting this week means shorter, predictable hours and a trip to New Lexington, while waiting for the final week brings longer days but a tighter deadline. Voters unsure about their plans can call the board office for guidance during its regular hours, and anyone planning to vote by mail should get an application in well ahead of the October 27 deadline rather than waiting for the last day.
Photo: Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0