Early voting remains strong days out from Election Day

By Hannah News Service 

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Tuesday that requests for early in-person and absentee ballots now total 1,243,505, a 2.6% increase over the same point in the 2018 gubernatorial statewide election. As a part of that total, 265,062 Ohioans have voted early in-person, and 978,443 have requested an absentee ballot by mail. 

Among Ohioans who requested to vote absentee, 56.5% have already returned their ballot, an increase from 53.9% at the same point in the last gubernatorial election. Overall, 817,644 Ohioans have already cast their ballot, up from 736,464 in 2018. 

A breakdown by county can be found online. 

According to LaRose’s office, over the course of the early voting period, Ohio voters have nearly 200 hours of early voting opportunities for the 2022 General Election. Ohio is one of 19 states that allows voting on a Saturday and one of just six states that allows early voting on a Sunday. Ohio’s early voting period is 21% longer than the national average, the office said. 

With just a few days until Election Day, LaRose reminded voters that, “While Ohio law allows voters to wait until this Saturday to request an absentee ballot, that just doesn’t give our bipartisan county boards of elections much time for their security check, processing and delivery of the ballot to the voter’s mailbox before Election Day. 

“With that in mind, voters should be focusing right now on utilizing Ohio’s extended evening and weekend early voting options or casting their ballot on Election Day so they can be sure their voice is heard.” 

Voters can learn more about requesting and casting an absentee ballot at VoteOhio.gov. As a reminder, voters who choose to vote by mail must have it postmarked by Monday, Nov. 7. If a voter decides to return their absentee ballot in person, they must return it to their county board of elections no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Ohio law does not allow absentee ballots to be returned to a polling location on Election Day. 

Hours for in-person voting can be found online at https://tinyurl.com/3a6atktz . 

Before voting, please also consider reviewing the Ohio Society’s 2022 slate of CPA Preferred Candidates. 

Issues on the ballot 

Ohioans will face 1,572 issues on the November ballot, according to the secretary of state’s website. 

The most common issue before voters is tax levies, with 923 questions. Purposes for the levies include current expenses, police or fire protection, providing for senior services, maintaining cemeteries, roads and bridges, or to avoid an operating deficit. 

Other ballot issues include the following: 

- 21 bond issues. Many include school issues to build and improve school buildings and facilities. The city of Columbus also has five issues for constructing and improving parks, streets, highways, and refuse collection, as well as a bond issue to build new affordable housing. 

- Five combination levies. All of these involve school districts, including North Olmstead City School District in Cuyahoga County; Worthington City School District in Franklin County; Arlington Local School District in Hancock County; Belpre City School District in Washington County; Bowling Green City School District in Wood County. 

- 30 income tax issues. Many of these are for operating expenses. 

- 343 liquor options. These ask voters to approve Sunday sales or sales at a particular location. 

- 234 “miscellaneous” questions. Most of these are charter amendments. Others involve electric or gas aggregation questions. 

- Two sales and use tax questions. Mercer County’s levy will go towards operations at the county detention facility, while Union County will put its levy toward roads, bridges, and senior services.