Key takeaways
- Your application must be received by the Hocking County Board of Elections by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, per the Ohio Secretary of State's schedule.
- You do not need an excuse. Any registered Ohio voter may vote absentee.
- The form needs your name, date of birth, registered address, the election, your signature, and one ID item: an Ohio driver's license or state ID number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, or a copy of an acceptable photo ID.
- Mail or hand-deliver the application to the board at 93 W. Hunter St., Logan. A completed ballot must then be received by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3. A postmark is no longer enough.
Voting by mail in Ohio is a two-step process. First you apply for an absentee ballot. Then the board mails you the ballot, and you fill it out and return it. This guide covers step one for Hocking County voters in the November 3, 2026 general election: getting the application right and getting it to the board on time.
The deadline: Oct. 27 by 8:30 p.m.
The Ohio Secretary of State's 2026 voting schedule lists Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026 as the absentee application deadline and says applications "must be received by your board of elections by 8:30 p.m." State law sets this deadline at the seventh day before the election (R.C. 3509.03).
Two things trip people up:
- "Received" means in the board's hands. An application you drop in the mail on Oct. 26 may not arrive in time. Election officials recommend applying well ahead of the deadline.
- Applying late leaves little time to vote. Even if your application arrives on Oct. 27, your ballot still has to travel to you and back, and the finished ballot must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. The earlier you apply, the more cushion you have.
The application window for Nov. 3 has closed. You can still vote in person: early voting at the board office runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, and polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3. See the key dates on our homepage.
Who can vote absentee in Ohio
Any registered Ohio voter can request an absentee ballot. You do not have to be out of town, ill, or give any reason. The registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election was Oct. 5, so you must already be registered at your current address. If you are not sure, check your record with the Hocking County voter lookup before you apply.
Step 1: Get the application
You have three ways to get the official form, the Ohio Secretary of State's Application for Absent Voter's Ballot:
- Online fill-and-print. The Secretary of State's absentee voting page lets you fill in the form on screen. You must still print it, sign it by hand, and return it. Ohio does not accept a fully online request for regular (non-military) voters.
- Call the board. The Hocking County Board of Elections will mail you an application if you call (740) 380-8683.
- Pick one up at the board office, 93 W. Hunter St., Logan, during office hours.
You need a separate application for each election. A form you sent for the May 5 primary does not carry over to November.
Step 2: Fill it out completely
Ohio law lists what a valid application must include (R.C. 3509.03). Missing items are the most common reason a board has to contact a voter, which costs time you may not have near the deadline.
| Item | What to write |
|---|---|
| Name | Your full name as registered |
| Date of birth | Month, day and year |
| Registered address | The address where you are registered in Hocking County |
| Mailing address | Only if the ballot should go somewhere else, such as a P.O. box or a temporary address |
| Election | The Nov. 3, 2026 general election |
| ID (choose one) | Ohio driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number, or a copy of an acceptable photo ID |
| Qualified-elector statement | Check or confirm the statement that you are a qualified Ohio voter |
| Signature | Signed by hand. If you cannot sign, Ohio allows a mark witnessed by another person |
Use the same signature you used when you registered. Election officials compare signatures, and a very different one can slow things down.
Step 3: Return the application to the board
Send the completed form to the Hocking County Board of Elections. Under the board's absentee page, you can mail it or deliver it in person:
Hocking County Board of Elections
93 West Hunter Street, PO Box 109
Logan, OH 43138
Phone (740) 380-8683
Hand delivery is the safest choice in the final week. The board's regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and the office is also open for early voting on a longer schedule in late October (see our key dates). On Oct. 27, the deadline day, early voting runs 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., which is why the application deadline is 8:30 p.m.
Applications go to the board in the county where you are registered. If you are registered in Hocking County but staying elsewhere, still send it to Logan.
Step 4: Watch for your ballot and track it
Ohio boards began mailing general election absentee ballots on Oct. 6. Once your application is processed, your ballot comes with instructions, an identification envelope and a return envelope. You can check whether your application was received and when your ballot was mailed with the Hocking County absentee ballot lookup or the Secretary of State's ballot tracking tool.
If your ballot has not arrived within a reasonable time, or you think it was lost, call the board. A board can cancel a missing ballot and issue a new one.
Step 5: Return the ballot so it arrives by 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3
This is the step that changed. In December 2025, Ohio ended the four-day grace period that used to count mailed ballots arriving after Election Day (WVXU coverage of SB 293). Under R.C. 3509.05, a regular absentee ballot must reach the board by the close of polls, 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3. A ballot that arrives later is not counted, even if it was postmarked in time. (Military and overseas voters follow separate rules.)
You, or certain close relatives, can also hand-deliver the ballot to the board office. Do not bring it to your polling place.
Changed your mind? You can still vote in person
If you request an absentee ballot and then decide to vote in person, you will be offered a provisional ballot at the polls or at early voting, because the poll book shows you already requested a mail ballot. Ohio law lists this as one of the situations for a provisional ballot (R.C. 3505.181). The board checks that you did not also return your mail ballot before counting it. If you can, choose one method and stick with it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to request an absentee ballot in Hocking County for Nov. 3, 2026?
Your application must be received by the Hocking County Board of Elections by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's voting schedule. Apply earlier if you can, because the ballot still has to be mailed to you and returned by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Do I need a reason to vote absentee in Ohio?
No. Any registered Ohio voter can request an absentee ballot without giving a reason.
Can I request an Ohio absentee ballot entirely online?
No, not for regular voters. You can fill in the application on the Secretary of State's website, but you must print it, sign it by hand and return it to the board by mail or in person. Military and overseas voters have separate electronic options.
What ID do I put on the absentee application?
One of these: your Ohio driver's license or state ID number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, or a copy of an acceptable photo ID.
Where do I send my Hocking County absentee application?
To the Hocking County Board of Elections, 93 West Hunter Street, PO Box 109, Logan, OH 43138. You can also deliver it in person. Call (740) 380-8683 with questions.
Does a postmark by Election Day still count?
No. Ohio eliminated the absentee grace period in December 2025. A regular absentee ballot must be received by the board by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2026.
Official sources
- Ohio Secretary of State: 2026 voting schedule
- Ohio Secretary of State: Absentee voting
- Hocking County Board of Elections: Absentee voting
- Ohio Revised Code 3509.03 (absentee application)
- Ohio Revised Code 3509.05 (returning an absentee ballot)
- WVXU: DeWine signs bill ending the absentee grace period (Dec. 20, 2025)
HockingElectionInfo.org is an independent, nonpartisan voter resource. We do not endorse candidates, parties or ballot issues. Rules and schedules can change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the Hocking County Board of Elections at (740) 380-8683. Spot an error? Tell us.