MARYSVILLE — Early voting is under way in Union County, where the Nov. 3 general election ballot is topped locally by a courthouse slate that was decided in the Republican primary, township levy renewals in Richwood and Jerome Township, and contested races for Congress and the Ohio House. The Union County Board of Elections, at 835 East Fifth Street, Suite A, in Marysville, is open for early in-person voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday this week.
The county offices on the November ballot carry Republican nominees who won competitive primaries in May. Shaun M. Bailey is the Republican candidate for county commissioner, after winning the primary with 66.7% of the vote against Tish Rayl and PJ Reilly for the open seat. Andrea L. Weaver is the Republican candidate for county auditor, after winning her primary with 70.2% against Tanalee Stoll. No Democratic candidates filed for either office, so the primary winners are the names county voters will see in November.
Two judgeships complete the courthouse slate. David Phillips is the Republican candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas’ general division, and Rick Rodger is the Republican candidate for the court’s probate and juvenile division. Republican Mark C. Miller is the candidate for the Third District Court of Appeals, which reviews cases from Union County’s trial courts. Judicial candidates appear on the November ballot without party labels.
The local tax questions on Union County ballots are renewals. Village of Richwood voters decide a renewal levy for roads of 3 mills for five years. Jerome Township voters decide a renewal levy for police protection of 1.2 mills for five years. Because they are renewals, both continue existing taxes rather than creating new ones. Other township, village and school questions vary by precinct across the county, and voters can preview their own sample ballot through the board of elections lookup before voting.
The contested choices on Union County ballots come in the district races. In the 4th Congressional District, Republican Jim Jordan faces Democrat Joshua D. Kolasinski and Tracey Tackett. In the 86th Ohio House District, Republican Ben Weber faces Democrat Kent Halloran, in a district that covers one of Ohio’s fastest-growing counties, where development and infrastructure are central local issues.
Above the local races, Union 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.