MARIETTA — Early in-person voting is under way at the Washington County Board of Elections, 204 Davis Ave., Suite B in Marietta, and the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election ballot features two contested races for county commissioner and three countywide tax questions.
For the full commissioner term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Republican Stephanie Lang — who defeated incumbent Eddie Place in the Republican primary — faces Democrat Brian G. Whalin. A second seat, an unexpired term ending Jan. 1, 2029 and currently held by appointee Ronald Gregory Nohe, draws three candidates: Nohe, a Republican; Democrat John B. Rauch; and independent Justin A. Harris.
The levy lineup leads with the Washington County Public Library’s additional 0.5-mill levy for current expenses: an estimated $1,140,880 a year, about $18 per $100,000 of market value, for 10 years commencing in 2026. The same library request returns to the ballot after failing narrowly, 48 to 52 percent, in the May primary.
Two renewals complete the county slate. A 0.5-mill renewal for essential prevention, treatment and recovery programs for people at risk for mental illness and substance use disorders would collect an estimated $815,668 a year, about $18 per $100,000, for five years commencing in 2027. A 0.35-mill renewal for operation of the county 911 system would collect an estimated $539,124 a year, about $12 per $100,000, for five years commencing in 2026.
Other county offices are unopposed: Republican Matthew Livengood for auditor, Republican Joseph Patrick Derkin for prosecuting attorney for an unexpired term, Nicole Tipton Coil for judge of the Court of Common Pleas, General Division, for an unexpired term, and Timothy A. Williams for the court’s Probate/Juvenile Division. Higher on the ballot, Republican Kevin Ritter faces Democrat Wenda Sheard in the 94th Ohio House District, Republican U.S. Rep. David J. Taylor faces Democrat Jen Mazzuckelli in the 2nd Congressional District, and Todd L. Grace and Jayme Hartley Fountain contest a 4th District Court of Appeals seat.
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), 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 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.
Photo: Bwsmith84, CC BY 3.0