COLUMBUS, Ohio — Early in-person voting is under way at the Franklin County Board of Elections, 1700 Morse Road, and Columbus-area voters heading to the polls for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election will find a ballot topped by a contested county commissioner race and an open probate judgeship, with charter amendments and school levies filling out the local slate. Early voting began Oct. 6 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, on the statewide schedule set by the Ohio Secretary of State.
The most closely watched county race is for Franklin County Commissioner, where Democratic incumbent Erica C. Crawley faces Libertarian Eric Terford, according to the board of elections certified candidate list revised Aug. 27. County Auditor Michael Stinziano, a Democrat who has held the office since March 2019, is unopposed after no valid Republican petition was filed. Judicial candidates appear without party labels on Ohio ballots.
The county’s only contested judicial race is an open seat for probate judge. Democrat Kelly Green, the Franklin County Probate Court’s chief magistrate for more than 15 years, faces Republican Chris Junga, a Columbus trial lawyer. Sitting Probate Judge Jeffrey Mackey, whose term expires in February 2027, is not running. In the Domestic Relations Division, Kelley Gabrielle Boller is unopposed for an open seat with a term commencing Jan. 2, 2027.
There is no countywide issue that every Franklin County voter will decide, but Columbus voters face two competing charter amendments. Issue 8, submitted by citizen petition, would limit voting for the city’s nine district council seats to residents of those districts, ending the current citywide vote. Issue 9, placed on the ballot by city council, would make the same district-only change and add two at-large council seats in 2027 and two more in 2029, growing council from nine members to 13. Council has determined the two measures do not conflict, so both could take effect if voters approve both.
School questions are among the largest dollar items on suburban ballots. Upper Arlington voters will decide 4.9 mills for continuing operating expenses and 4.84 mills over 38 years to repay $273.5 million in construction bonds, costing $172 and $169 respectively for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value. South-Western City Schools asks 2.26 mills for a $220 million bond issue over 38 years, at $79 per $100,000, while Bexley asks a 0.5 percent income tax for continuing operations plus 2.05 mills for a $29,250,000 bond issue. Pickerington Local seeks a 0.75 percent income tax increase for 10 years, and the Delaware Area Career Center seeks a 10-year renewal reduced to 0.75 mill.
Township and city voters elsewhere in the county face their own questions. Gahanna has 10 charter amendments on the ballot, Grove City’s Issue 28 would require voter approval for large industrial developments including data centers, and Worthington has four charter amendments. Madison Township asks an additional 4.89-mill fire levy and a 1.99-mill police levy, both for a continuing period, at $171 and $70 per $100,000 respectively. Upper Arlington also votes on a police and fire pension levy totaling 1.13 mills, and Hamilton Township asks an additional 0.8-mill road levy.
Every Franklin County ballot also carries the statewide races: governor, attorney general, auditor of state, secretary of state, treasurer of state, U.S. Senate, two Ohio Supreme Court seats, and Issue 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would write Ohio’s photo ID voting requirement into the state constitution. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the board by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and voted absentee ballots must reach the board by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3. Polls on Election Day are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and voters can confirm their sample ballot and polling place through the Franklin County Board of Elections.