TIFFIN — Early voting is under way in Seneca County, where the Nov. 3 general election ballot is topped locally by a mental health and recovery services levy renewal, courthouse offices that were largely settled in the May primary, and contested races for Congress and the Statehouse. The Seneca County Board of Elections, at 71 South Washington Street, Suite 1101, in Tiffin, is open for early in-person voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday this week.
The countywide tax question is a renewal levy for the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties. The renewal is 0.7 mill for 10 years, commencing in 2027, and the county auditor estimates it will collect $1,043,000 annually — about $18 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value — for the operation of community addiction services providers and community mental health services providers and for alcohol and drug addiction and mental health facilities in Seneca County.
The courthouse offices on the November ballot were effectively decided in the Republican primary. Bill Frankart, a Republican, is the candidate for county commissioner for a full term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and Julie A. Adkins, a Republican, is the candidate for county auditor. Jay A. Meyer is the candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas’ probate and juvenile division for a term beginning Feb. 9, 2027, and Republican Mark C. Miller is the candidate for the Third District Court of Appeals for a term beginning the same day. Judicial candidates appear on the November ballot without party labels.
The contested choices on Seneca County ballots come in the district races. In the 5th Congressional District, Republican Bob Latta faces Democrat Brian A. Shaver and Libertarian Michael J. Veloff. In the 88th Ohio House District, Republican Gary Click faces Democrat Aaron W. Jones. Both seats send representatives to Washington and Columbus who vote on the budgets and laws that shape county services.
Local questions vary across the county. Fostoria voters, whose city spans Seneca, Hancock and Wood counties, will decide a renewal levy for current expenses of 6 mills for five years, commencing in 2027, that the county auditor estimates will collect $1,047,593 annually — about $140 for each $100,000 of market value. Township, village and school questions elsewhere in the county vary by precinct, and voters can preview their own sample ballot through the board of elections lookup before voting.
Above the local races, Seneca County voters will also help decide Ohio’s statewide contests — governor, attorney general, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer, two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court, the U.S. Senate race between Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown, and statewide Issue 3, the proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to present photo identification in order to vote.
Early voting hours expand in the final week: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 28 to 30, with weekend hours on Saturday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a final Sunday session on Nov. 1 from 1 to 5 p.m. Voters must bring an accepted photo ID, such as an Ohio driver’s license, a state ID card or a U.S. passport. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.