LORAIN — Lorain County voters can cast an early in-person ballot for the November 3, 2026 general election this week at the Lorain County Board of Elections office, 1985 North Ridge Road East in Lorain, where voting runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday through Friday, October 23, according to the board’s published early voting calendar.
The hours are set statewide by Ohio Secretary of State Directive 2026-09 and are listed identically on the Secretary of State’s 2026 voting schedule. Early in-person voting began October 6, the day after the October 5 voter registration deadline, and the board’s office is the county’s early voting location. No appointment is needed to vote early in person.
Weekend voting starts this Saturday, October 24, when the board office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours then lengthen for the final week of early voting: Monday, October 26 runs 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, October 27 runs 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, October 28 to 30, run 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, October 31 is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Early voting ends Sunday, November 1, with afternoon hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is no early in-person voting on Monday, November 2. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, voters cast ballots at their assigned precinct polling places, with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the board’s calendar shows.
Voters who prefer to vote by mail face a deadline next week: absentee ballot applications must be received by the board of elections by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, according to the Secretary of State’s schedule. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the board by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, to be counted.
What each Lorain County voter sees on the ballot depends on their precinct, and the board’s online lookup tool lets voters preview their own sample ballot before they vote. One measure appearing countywide, shown on the board’s ballot display, is a proposed additional tax levy for Lorain County Developmental Disabilities and the Murray Ridge Center — 0.85 mill for five years, which the county auditor estimates would collect about $10 million annually, or $30 for each $100,000 of market value. Communities across the county also have their own local races, levies and issues on the November 3 ballot.
After Election Day, the board’s office will be open for ballot curing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. November 4 through November 7, as required by Secretary of State Directive 2026-10, giving voters a window to correct a deficiency on an absentee or provisional ballot. The board’s regular office hours outside election season are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and voters with questions can reach the office at 440-326-5900.
Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA