JACKSON — Early voting is under way in Jackson County, where voters are deciding a Nov. 3 general election ballot topped locally by a contested race for the 93rd Ohio House District and a contested seat on the Fourth District Court of Appeals. The Jackson County Board of Elections, at 275 Portsmouth Street in Jackson, is open for early in-person voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday this week.
Jackson County voters will find no countywide tax levy on their ballots this fall. The county’s sample ballots carry no county levy question, so the local decisions are about the people who will hold county and district offices — and, in a few precincts, local liquor options, including a Sunday sales question for a Jackson restaurant and bar in the Jackson 1-A precinct.
The most closely watched local race is for state representative in the 93rd District, where Democrat Jessica Harper faces Republican Jason Stephens, a former speaker of the Ohio House. The district covers Jackson County, and the race gives county voters a direct say in who carries their voice in Columbus for the next two years.
County offices themselves are uncontested this cycle. Republican Jon Hensler is the only candidate for the county commissioner term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Republican Tiffany Ridgeway is the only candidate for county auditor, Republican Trenton Brown Douthett is the only candidate for prosecuting attorney for the unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2028, and Justin W. Skaggs is the only candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas’ probate and juvenile division.
One judgeship is contested. On a supplemental ballot for the Fourth District Court of Appeals, Republican Jayme Hartley Fountain faces Democrat Todd L. Grace for the full term beginning Feb. 9, 2027, while Republican Peter B. Abele is unopposed for the district’s other open seat. The appeals court reviews cases from Jackson County’s trial courts.
The remaining district races are competitive too. Democrat Jen Mazzuckelli faces Republican David J. Taylor in the 2nd Congressional District, and Democrat Brian A. Deer faces Republican Shane Wilkin in the 17th Ohio Senate District. Township, village and school questions vary by precinct, and voters can check their own sample ballot through the board of elections lookup before voting.
Above the local races, Jackson 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 across Jackson County will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.