McARTHUR — Early in-person voting is under way at the Vinton County Board of Elections, 31935 State Route 93 in McArthur, and the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election ballot in Ohio’s least populous county is headlined by an open race for county commissioner.
The commissioner seat held by Tim Eberts drew five filings this year. Democrat Steven Ray Hammond, the mayor of McArthur, was the lone Democrat in the race, while four Republicans — C. Scott Ward, Jeremiah James Michael Jones, Phillis Hollingshead Henry and Danny M. Wiseman — battled in the May primary for the Republican nomination and the right to face Hammond in November for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
The county’s other two offices on the ballot are unopposed. Republican Cindy Ann Waugh is the only candidate for county auditor, and Republican Jeffrey Randolph Griffith is the only candidate to succeed retiring Probate/Juvenile Judge N. Robert Grillo, for a term beginning Feb. 9, 2027. No Democratic candidates filed for either office.
No countywide levy is on Vinton County’s November ballot. The county’s three renewal levies — a 3-mill developmental disabilities levy, a 0.75-mill OSU Extension levy and a 0.5-mill senior services levy — were all decided, and approved, in the May primary election, so the only issue before every county voter this fall is statewide Issue 3, the proposed constitutional amendment requiring photo identification to vote.
Higher on the ballot, Republican Shane Wilkin faces Democrat Brian Deer in the 17th Ohio Senate District, Republican Mark Glenn Johnson is the printed candidate in the 92nd Ohio House District, and in the 2nd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. David J. Taylor faces Democrat Jen Mazzuckelli. Republican Peter B. Abele is the candidate for judge of the 4th District Court of Appeals.
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 of state (Jay Edwards vs. Seth Walsh) and two Ohio Supreme Court seats.
Early in-person voting continues at the board of elections office 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.