Ohio is changing the rules for absentee voting ahead of the 2026 election. Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation on Dec. 19 to eliminate the grace period for mailed absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day. The move came as the Trump administration targets mail-in voting and the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear a case over ballot deadlines.

The city and its former clerk cite a 1985 Wisconsin law to argue they can’t be sued over 2024 errors. Their strategy could reignite a debate over the law’s constitutionality.

Under Senate Bill 293, absentee ballots must now be received by the time polls close on Election Day. That change requires the county to print new envelopes and instructions -- an added cost in an already tight budget year that no one expected.

It's the year of midterm elections, and voting is getting underway for North Carolina's 2026 primary election.