Voters heading to the polls in central Ohio will help decide some key local and statewide races before polls close Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
On the ballot this year for Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians are elections for Ohio governor, U.S. Senate and several county and statewide offices. Unaffiliated voters and those who register with one of the three parties may also see ballot issues and levies, including a ballot issue in Columbus that could establish an alternative crisis response team.
Franklin County Board of Elections spokesperson Aaron Sellers said turnout is expected to exceed 2022 levels. As of 2 p.m. more than 100,000 voted Tuesday or voted early.
Sellers said in the 2022 primary, 17% of the county's 800,000+ voters turned out. He said he expects more than 20% this year.
David Browning, a Democrat, voted at his polling place on Columbus' south side Tuesday morning. He's a construction worker and said he votes with union values in mind.
Browning said he voted "yes" on Issue 5, which aims to create an alternative crisis response team for mental health and substance abuse emergencies in Columbus. He said his son is a police officer and he sees how creating a new team to respond to these emergencies could help police focus on crime.
Browning also said he does have questions about how the team would be funded.
"That was something that I was looking for, was how it was being funded. And I can't say that I might not have agreed if it was gonna increase my property taxes again. They've went up several times here in the last dozen years," Browning said.
If passed, the city would be required to fund the team. The measure doesn't increase taxes.
Many voters who spoke to WOSU said they're prepared to give former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown another shot at a senate seat. He is running in a primary against fellow Democrat Ron Kincaid to face Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted in November.
Debbie and Martin Smith from Grandview Heights both voted for Brown. Martin Smith said he appreciates Brown's work, but it may be time for the 73-year-old to encourage younger people to run instead.
"It's time for new blood, but I voted for Sherrod because he's a Democrat. He's the Democrat that they endorsed, so I voted for him. We need new, younger people," Smith said.
Eva Wright from Columbus' south side also voted for Brown, but she said she wasn't familiar with Kincaid and didn't do research on other candidates.
"I voted for Sherrod Brown, because that's a familiar name. I didn't know anything about the other candidate. And I should have did my research. But yeah, I just didn't this year," Wright said.
Voters in Ohio also get to pick who will run in November to be Ohio's next Secretary of State. For Democrats, current State Rep. Allison Russo is running against Cincinnati doctor Bryan Hambley. For Republicans, current Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague Marcell Stribich is in the running for the position.
Grandview Heights teacher Robert Lanthorn said he voted for Russo.
Lanthorn also got to vote for who replaces Russo in the Ohio House in a hotly-contested primary. That race to represent Grandview Heights, Upper Arlington and parts of Clintonville includes Upper Arlington Mayor Ukeme Awakessien Jeter, former Upper Arlington City Council member Michaela Burriss and Clintonville resident Zach Rossfeld.
Lanthorn said he chose Jeter. He said the race has been pretty high profile compared to other elections. The Democrat who wins is also likely to be victorious in November.
"There was a lot of money spent on that race. I just know just from all the mailings that I received and all the folks knocking on doors. And yeah, so that was a hard fought race," Lanthorn said.
Voters will also be dealing with a change in election law this year. If someone requested and received a mail-in ballot, but hasn't returned it yet, they will need to drop it off Tuesday at the county board of elections before polls close at 7:30 p.m.
A new law signed by Gov. Mike DeWine last year requires absentee ballots to arrive by the time polls close on Election Day, with exceptions for military and overseas ballots.
There used to be a four-day grace period after Election Day to allow ballots postmarked by Election Day but arriving late to be counted, but that is no longer the case.
Ballots mailed Tuesday are not likely to be received in time to count. Sellers said voters returning a mail-in ballot should go to the Franklin County Board of Elections on Morse Road by 7:30 p.m., where there is a well-marked tent to drop off the ballots.
