NEW PHILADELPHIA — Early voting is under way in Tuscarawas County, where the Nov. 3 general election ballot is topped locally by a new levy for developmental disabilities services, contested races for county commissioner, county auditor and prosecuting attorney, and a full slate of judgeships. The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections, at 933 East High Avenue in New Philadelphia, is open for early in-person voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday this week.
The top countywide money question is an additional tax levy for the county board of developmental disabilities. The additional levy is 1.2 mills for 10 years, commencing in 2026, and the county auditor estimates it will collect $4,214,524 annually — about $42 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value — for the operation of community programs and services authorized by county boards of developmental disabilities and for developmental disabilities facilities. County commissioners voted in July to send the levy to the November ballot.
The most contested courthouse races pit the parties against each other across three offices. For county commissioner, Republican Kristin R. Zemis faces Democrat Kent A. Watson. For county auditor, Republican Lisa Contini faces Democrat Joe Rinehart for the office that appraises property and calculates the county’s taxes. For prosecuting attorney, for an unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2028, Democrat Elizabeth Kirtley faces Republican R. Scott Deedrick.
On the judicial ballot, Michael J. Ernest is the candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas for a term beginning Jan. 2, 2027, and Christine M. Weimer and Ryan Styer are the candidates for an unexpired common pleas term ending Dec. 31, 2028. Adam W. Wilgus is the candidate for the court’s juvenile and probate division for a term beginning Feb. 9, 2027, and Republican Matthew George is the candidate for the Fifth District Court of Appeals. Judicial candidates appear on the November ballot without party labels.
District races give Tuscarawas County voters contested choices above the courthouse level. In the 31st Ohio Senate District, Republican Al Landis faces Democrat Laura Sirot. In the 51st Ohio House District, Republican Jodi Salvo faces Democrat Amanda Fontana. U.S. Rep. Michael A. Rulli, a Republican, is on the ballot in the 6th Congressional District. Township questions vary by precinct — Fairfield Township voters, for example, decide a 1.5-mill, five-year renewal levy for fire protection and emergency services that the county auditor estimates will collect $29,051 annually, about $6 for each $100,000 of market value.
Above the local races, Tuscarawas 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., and voters can preview their own sample ballot through the board of elections lookup before voting.