With the election in full swing, there are some things all voters need to know concerning their conduct at the polls.
And luckily for purposes of this column, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted lays out the rules nicely in a quick reference guide for precinct election officials, which is the source for all that follows.
The polling location is a ''neutral zone,'' so campaigning of any type within that zone - 100 feet from the entrance of the polling location - is prohibited. If there is a line of waiting voters and that line extends beyond 100, campaigning is not allowed within 10 feet of those people in line, too.
The "neutral zone" is marked by two small U.S. flags, often placed in small, orange traffic cones.
Candidates, campaign workers and voters inside a polling location must remove or cover campaign clothing or paraphernalia.
That means, zip up your jacket if you're wearing a candidate or issue-related shirt or take off that button or hat.
Voters who refuse to remove the campaign-related items will still be allowed to vote, but precinct officials are required to report the incident to the board of elections.
Also, distributing food inside the "neutral zone" is prohibited.
The guide sums it up: "Voters must be free to make their choices without pressure from candidates, campaigns, precinct election officials, or fellow voters.''
Outside the "neutral zone" giving away food or campaigning is fair game, which is why there's a large cluster of campaign signs at the far east end of the parking lot of the Trumbull County Elections Board.
There are also some key dates voters should know.
The deadline to register to vote in this election is 9 p.m. Tuesday; the deadline to request an absentee ballot through the mail is noon Nov. 3; and, of course, Election Day is Nov. 6, when polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Also, if you are voting by mail, the ballot, to be counted, must be returned to the board of elections by 7:30 p.m. Election Day.
Lines at elections boards in Trumbull and Mahoning counties last Tuesday, the first day of early, in-person voting in Ohio, showed the people were eager to cast a ballot in this presidential election.
But some early voters took it a step, a big step, further than just waiting in line.
A dozen or so Democrats slept overnight at the Mahoning County Board of Elections to, as county party chairman Dave Betras said, ''to be the first ones to vote."
Television news caught Betras and some of the others there the night before pitching tents and readying themselves for the sleepover at the Oakhill Renaissance Center.
I wonder if Betras, rather than counting sheep to get to sleep, counted ballots for President Barack Obama as he wandered off to slumber?