Cincinnati, Ohio Public Records

The Cincinnati City Police Department and the Cincinnati Fire Department serve as essential public safety resources for the city. Both departments maintain public records related to their operations, including incident reports, dispatch logs, and emergency response data. Residents can access these records through the city's public records portal, as well as the departments' individual websites, to stay informed about the city's public safety efforts.

Cincinnati voters are served by the Hamilton County Board of Elections, located at 824 Broadway Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (phone: 513-632-7000, website: vote.hamiltoncountyohio.gov). The Board of Elections office is open Monday-Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and handles all voter registration, early voting, absentee ballots, polling place information, and election administration for Cincinnati and all Hamilton County jurisdictions. Ohio residents can register to vote online at OhioSOS.gov through the Secretary of State's online portal; registration must be completed or postmarked at least 30 days before any election. Ohio requires either an Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of Social Security number for online registration; those without either must submit paper registration forms. Voter registration is also available at BMV offices, public libraries, and through county board of elections offices. Cincinnati holds municipal elections for Mayor (four-year term), nine City Council seats (two-year terms with the top nine vote-getters elected in at-large system), and City Charter amendments in odd-numbered years, with the next municipal election scheduled for November 4, 2025, followed by November 2, 2027. The Mayor's position is selected by and from City Council members rather than directly elected. Cincinnati voters find their assigned polling place through the Board of Elections website polling place locator tool or by calling 513-632-7000; polling places are assigned by residential address and all Hamilton County polling locations are open 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Election Day. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3501, voter registration lists are public records available for inspection (though Social Security numbers and dates of birth are redacted for privacy); campaign finance reports are filed with the Ohio Secretary of State and searchable at the Secretary of State's Campaign Finance portal; candidate petitions and declarations are filed with the Board of Elections; and precinct-level election results are published on the Board's website after every election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Hamilton County recorded approximately 440,000 total votes cast from roughly 565,000 registered voters, representing about 78% turnout, with results accessible through the Board of Elections results portal. The November 3, 2026 general election will be a critical midterm featuring the Ohio Governor's race (incumbent Republican Mike DeWine's term expires 2027), all of Ohio's 15 U.S. House seats including Cincinnati's 1st District (currently Representative Greg Landsman), all 99 Ohio House seats, approximately 17 Ohio Senate seats (half the chamber on rotating terms), Hamilton County offices including County Commission seats, Common Pleas Court judges, and potentially local ballot issues and tax levies. Ohio does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (Senators Sherrod Brown faces reelection in 2024, J.D. Vance's current term runs to 2028 but he became Vice President in January 2025 triggering an appointment and future special election). Absentee voting in Ohio is available to any registered voter without requiring an excuse; voters can request absentee ballots online through the Secretary of State's website or through the Board of Elections beginning 90 days before an election. Early in-person voting is available at the Board of Elections office beginning 28 days before Election Day (excluding Sundays) through the day before the election, with extended evening and weekend hours in the final weeks. Ohio allows provisional balloting for voters whose eligibility is questioned at polling places, with provisional ballots counted after verification. All voting equipment in Hamilton County uses paper ballots with electronic tabulation, providing auditable paper trails.