EATON, Ohio — Preble County’s Nov. 3 ballot is a quiet one at the top of the courthouse ticket, but voters will still decide a countywide senior services levy and a stack of village and township renewals as early voting continues at the Board of Elections office, 532 N. Barron St. in Eaton. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The countywide question is Issue 4, a proposed renewal of the Preble County Council on Aging levy at 1.5 mills. The levy funds senior citizens services in the county, and because it is a renewal, approval keeps the existing tax in place rather than creating a new one. It is the only county-level issue on the ballot this fall.
Every countywide office on the ballot is unopposed. Republican Harold Niehaus, who won a contested May primary over David L. Haber, is the only candidate for county commissioner. Republican Lavon Wright is unopposed for county auditor, and Republican Shonda Haynes is the sole candidate for clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, for an unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2028. Jenifer K. Overmyer is unopposed for judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Probate and Juvenile Division, and the county’s two 12th District Court of Appeals seats drew single candidates, Republicans Matthew Byrne and Robert A. Hendrickson.
The contested races on Preble County ballots are in the legislature. In the 5th Senate District, Republican Phil Plummer faces Democrat Jeffrey Harris. The 40th House District has a three-way race among Republican Rodney Creech, Democrat Timothy B. Hornbacker and Libertarian Joshua A. Umbaugh. For Congress in the 8th District, Republican incumbent Warren Davidson is challenged by Democrat Vanessa Enoch.
Local issues fill out the ballot precinct by precinct. Camden voters decide a 6-mill renewal for police protection, College Corner voters a renewal levy spanning Preble and Butler counties, and West Elkton voters a 1.25-mill renewal for EMS. Lewisburg has a 1-mill parks renewal, West Alexandria voters decide a proposed municipal income tax for operating expenses, Harrison Township has a 1-mill additional levy for cemeteries, Jackson Township a 2-mill fire renewal, and Monroe Township a 0.5-mill cemetery renewal. Lanier Township voters also choose between Jason Earich and Cooper Shockey for a township trustee seat for an unexpired term.
Statewide, Preble County voters will weigh in on the governor’s race between Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton, the unexpired U.S. Senate term between Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Jon Husted, races for attorney general, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer, two Ohio Supreme Court seats, and State Issue 3, which would write the state’s photo ID voting rules into the Ohio Constitution.
Early in-person voting runs on the statewide schedule: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 23, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 and Oct. 28 through 30, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 31, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. Absentee ballot applications must be received by 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, and mail ballots must be back by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Bring an accepted photo ID when voting in person.