Creola, Ohio Public Records

Registration must be completed 30 days before any election. Alternatives include registering in person at the Board of Elections office, by mail, or through various state agencies including the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and public assistance offices. To vote in Ohio, residents must be U.S. Citizens, at least 18 years old by the date of the general election, an Ohio resident for at least 30 days, and not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. As an unincorporated community, Creola does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council, since there is no local government structure beyond Elk Township trustees. County voters elect commissioners, sheriff, auditor, treasurer, recorder, clerk of courts, coroner, engineer, and prosecuting attorney during staggered election cycles, with most county offices appearing on the ballot every four years. Residents vote at polling places assigned based on their precinct within Elk Township; voters can find their specific polling location using the polling place lookup tool at voterlookup.ohiosos.gov or by contacting the Vinton County Board of Elections. Ohio law requires voters to present valid identification at the polls, including an Ohio driver's license, state ID, military ID, or utility bill with name and address. Ohio will hold elections for Governor, as incumbent Governor Mike DeWine's current term ends in January 2027, along with other statewide executive offices including Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor, and Treasurer. 2026 will feature elections for Vinton County Commissioner (one or two seats depending on the rotation), and potentially other county offices depending on term expirations. U.S. Senate elections in Ohio are not scheduled for 2026, as Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator-elect Bernie Moreno's terms extend beyond that year. Ohio offers several options for voting beyond Election Day in-person voting. Early in-person voting begins 28 days before Election Day at the Vinton County Board of Elections office, with extended evening and weekend hours during the final week. Absentee voting by mail is available to any registered Ohio voter without requiring an excuse; applications for absentee ballots can be requested online, by mail, or in person at the Board of Elections. The absentee ballot application deadline is typically three days before Election Day for mail delivery, though ballots can be requested in person until the day before the election. Ohio voters can track their absentee ballot status through the Secretary of State's website. Ohio maintains public election records, including voter registration lists (available for purchase for political and election related purposes under Ohio Revised Code Section 3503.26), campaign finance reports for candidates and political action committees (searchable at www2.ohiosos.gov/pls/cfd/), candidate filings and petition signatures, and precinct-level election results. The Vinton County Board of Elections posts unofficial election results on election night, with certified results published after the official canvass, typically within two weeks of Election Day. Historical election results for Vinton County dating back decades are maintained by the Board of Elections and are public records available upon request.