Ohio’s primary election, postponed until April 28 because of the COVID-19 epidemic, will be historic.

It will be the first in memory that most votes will have been submitted by mail.

Election Day has been set for April 28 — but the in-person voting to which most people are accustomed will not be possible on that date.

Only a few Ohioans, primarily those with physical disabilities, will be permitted to cast in-person ballots that day and then only at one location per county.

Using the mail-in absentee voting system is imperative for those who wish to make their voices heard, then.

Already, many Eastern Ohioans have made use of the system.

According to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office, 18,090 absentee ballots had been requested by Wednesday, by people in Belmont, Jefferson, Harrison and Monroe counties. Of that total, 11,477 marked ballots already had been received.

Mail-in absentee ballots are easy to obtain.

Merely contact your county board of elections or go to the secretary of state’s website, at VoteOhio.gov.

Absentee ballot applications can be requested or printed out from the website. Once an application is received by a county board of elections office, the staff will mail the qualified applicant an absentee ballot. Once received, the ballot must be returned and postmarked no later than April 27 or delivered by hand to county election boards no later than 7:30 p.m. on April 28.

A variety of local issues, including tax levies in support of public transportation, infrastructure maintenance and emergency services, as well as local offices are on the April 28 ballot.

This election may be different, but it is still important. Make your voice heard.

If you have not already used an absentee ballot, we encourage you to do so.