WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — Early in-person voting is under way at the Fayette County Board of Elections, 135 S. Main St. in Washington Court House, and the top local question on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election ballot is a renewal levy for the Fayette County EMS District, the ambulance service now marking its 50th year.
The district is asking voters to renew a 1.90-mill levy for three years, commencing in 2027 and first due in 2028. The renewal is estimated to raise $1,482,933 a year, at about $49 per $100,000 of property value, to fund ambulance and emergency medical services. The district, established in 1976 and led by Director Rodney List, answers roughly 4,400 calls a year across the county’s townships and municipalities, including the village of New Holland — excluding Jefferson Township, the village of Jeffersonville, and the part of Perry Township in the Greenfield Exempted Village School District. Under district policy, patient insurance is billed first and the levy covers the remaining balance.
Miami Trace Local Schools is also seeking a renewal: a fixed sum of $1,900,000, averaging 2.2 mills — about $77 per $100,000 of value — for five years, commencing in 2027 and first due in 2028.
Fayette County’s own offices are all single-candidate races this year. Republican Brance Johnson is the only candidate for county commissioner, Republican Brenda Mossbarger the only candidate for county auditor, and Carole L. Pontious the only candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas, probate/juvenile division, for a term beginning Feb. 9, 2027.
The contested races are further up the ballot: U.S. Rep. Mike Carey (R) faces Don Leonard (D) and Brennan Barrington (L) in the 15th Congressional District; Shane Wilkin (R) faces Brian A. Deer (D) for the 17th State Senate District; and Bob Peterson (R) faces Amy Wright (D) in the 91st Ohio House District. Court of Appeals candidates Robert A. Hendrickson and Matthew Byrne also appear on the ballot.
Statewide, Ohio voters will choose a governor — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, Democrat Amy Acton or Libertarian Don Kissick — and decide a U.S. Senate race between Republican Jon Husted, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Libertarian William B. Redpath. Also on the ballot are attorney general (Keith Faber vs. John J. Kulewicz), auditor of state (Frank LaRose vs. Annette Blackwell), secretary of state (Robert Sprague vs. Allison Russo), treasurer (Jay Edwards vs. Seth Walsh), two Ohio Supreme Court seats, and State Issue 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require photo identification to vote.
Early in-person voting continues at the board of elections office in Washington Court House from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Oct. 23, then expands: Saturday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Oct. 28–30 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 1 from 1 to 5 p.m. Absentee ballot applications are due by 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, and voted absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must show photo identification, and polls will be open Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.