Here’s a look at what you need to know about voting and some key races and issues to watch:
How to vote
Traditional in-person Election Day voting will be from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. today at your local polling places.
Not sure what’s on your ballot? Visit www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/sample-ballot/. Select your county, enter your name, select “sample ballots” and then pick which party’s ballot you want.
Baker said the Board of Elections will have a page on their website today listing wait times at polling locations to allow voters to plan accordingly.
“This year we’re really focusing on the wait time. It’s not hard to do; they just have to scan a bar code (when voters arrive),” Baker said.
In a primary election, voters choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot, and vote for the candidates they want to advance to the general election in November. If you don’t want to vote for political party candidates, but you do want to vote on a tax levy or local option on the ballot in your jurisdiction, request an “issues only” ballot.
Voter ID law reminder
Voters should make sure they bring a valid photo ID to the polls to comply with voter ID laws that went into effect last year.
Valid forms of identification include a non-expired Ohio driver license or a U.S. passport; invalid forms of identification include out-of-state driver licenses and Social Security cards. The complete list can be found at the Secretary of State website.
Ohio last year began issuing free state ID cards to people 17 and older. In order to obtain a state ID card, applicants must provide proof of their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, citizenship and Ohio street address.
Polling place changes
Two election day polling locations have changed. Those who voted at the Bethel Twp. Safety Building will now permanently vote at the Bethel Twp. Community Center at 11200 Gerlaugh Road in Medway, according to a release from the Clark County Board of Elections.
Voters who normally vote at the Northeastern High School athletic building who in November voted at the Harmony Twp. Fire Building in South Vienna will vote at the Northeastern School Board Building at 1414 Bowman Road due to construction and upcoming demolition of the old high school.
County government races
The election includes contested primaries for Clark County commission and sheriff, plus Statehouse races and the presidential and U.S. Senate primaries.
Incumbent Clark County Sheriff Deb Burchett will face off against former sheriff’s office Major Chris Clark, who also is the Madison Twp. Fire and EMS chief.
Four people want to be the Republican nominee for a contested county commission seat. Charlie Patterson, retired Clark County Health commissioner; Dave Marshall, local teacher and former campaign worker; Matt Quesenberry, local project manager for a construction engineering company; and William Lindsey, New Carlisle City Council member, are all seeking to fill the seat that will be vacated at the end of Clark County Commissioner Lowell McGlothin’s term.
Countywide issue
The one countywide tax issue is a request by the Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center for voter approval to build a new school. The CTC is asking for a 1.4-mill levy that would fund the local cost to build a nearly $90 million new school facility with the state contributing 62% of the base $63 million building cost.
President
Yes, many people call this election cycle a “presidential primary,” and yes, Ohioans will be voting for president. But because Ohio sits somewhat late in the primary process, incumbent Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump have already clinched their parties’ nominations for the November election.
U.S. Senate
Democrat Sherrod Brown is in his 18th year as one of Ohio’s two senators, and he is running for reelection, with no Democratic opposition. But the Republican contest to face Brown in November has been the highest-profile race on the ballot. State Sen. Matt Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and businessman Bernie Moreno are the Republican candidates.
Moreno is endorsed by Trump and talks about ending “wokeness,” and the need to restore election integrity. Dolan is endorsed by Gov. Mike DeWine and talks about traditional Republican ideas of lower taxes and school choice, and said Republicans must work across the aisle. LaRose says he’ll help Trump accomplish his agenda, and says he’s more in touch with Ohioans because the other two are longtime millionaires.
U.S. Congress
Every seat in Congress is up for vote in 2024, but not every seat has a contested race in the March primary. District 10 covers Montgomery, Greene and parts of Clark County and is represented by two-decade Republican incumbent Mike Turner. He has no Republican opposition, so in November, he’ll face the winner of Tuesday’s Democratic primary involving Amy Cox, David Esrati, Joseph Kuzniar and Tony Pombo.
In District 15 (parts of Miami and Clark counties, then east to Columbus) Democrats Adam Miller and Zerqa Abid are seeking the nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Mike Carey, who is unopposed in the March primary.
Ohio Supreme Court
In the wake of last year’s abortion votes, the Supreme Court will be a hot topic in November, when Ohioans will decide on three of the court’s seven seats. But almost all of the candidates are unopposed in this election. The only March primary is a race between Democrats Terri Jamison and Lisa Forbes.
Statehouse
There are nearly a dozen Ohio Senate and Ohio House seats up for grabs in the region this year. Most of them are in strongly Republican districts, meaning today’s Republican primaries could go a long way toward deciding November’s winners.
Locally, two Republicans are competing for their party’s nomination to run for Senate District 10, which covers all of Clark, Greene, and Clinton counties. The candidates are former state Rep. Kyle Koehler of Springfield and Sugarcreek Twp. Trustee Carolyn Destefani.
See more coverage
For more detail on today’s election, visit www.springfieldnewssun.com/elections, where there are in-depth stories on candidate races and ballot issues. Election results will appear on our website Tuesday night.
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