East Ohio Gets Ready to Vote on Tuesday
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MARTINS FERRY -- Election Day in Ohio is Tuesday, and while county elections board employees are distributing voting equipment and ballots to precincts local poll workers already are receiving ballots from early voters.
Early in-person voting began Oct. 11 and continues through Monday. On Tuesday polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at all precincts.
Early voting can be done at county boards of election offices from 1-5 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. The Monroe County Board of Elections is located at 117 N. Main St. in Woodsfield, the Belmont County Board of Elections is located at 103 Plaza Drive in St. Clairsville, the Harrison County Board of Elections is located at 538 N. Main St. in Cadiz, and the Jefferson County Board of Elections is located at 500 Market St. in Steubenville.
"All of the county boards of elections are mandated by the state to have the same early voting hours," said Betty Rousenberg of the Monroe County Board of Elections office. "We have been very busy. So far we have seen about an average turnout for early voting. We expect to see a turnout of about 30 to 35 percent for this election. Of course, we would like to see more people vote."
Belmont County Board of Elections Director Bill Shubat said as of Friday afternoon, an estimated 5,000 early ballots had been cast in his county, which is an average amount for an "off-year election" with no presidential or gubernatorial race on the ballot.
"We're not going to see anything like we did with the general election last year when we had 15,000 early votes," Shubat said. "We are expecting about a 30-percent turnout across the county in this election. There are a lot of issues, school board and township trustee elections, so we are expecting people to turn out for that."
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said in a statement in January that over the past three years, the outcome of 112 elections has been decided by a single vote or tied in Ohio, and he urged all registered voters to get out and vote.
"These are races that decide mayors and council members, decide how schools and roads should be funded and how much we will pay in taxes," Husted said. "Yes, Ohioans, one vote does matter. And that vote that could have made a difference 112 times in Ohio may have been the one you didn't cast."
Voters in this election will decide on two statewide ballot questions: Issue 1 is the proposed "Rights for Crime Victims" constitutional amendment, otherwise known as Marsy's Law; Issue 2, meanwhile, would require state agencies to not pay more for prescription drugs than the federal Department of Veterans Affairs does and require state payment of attorney fees and expenses to specific individuals for defense of the law in court.
In addition, there are many notable Belmont County ballot issues, including: A 0.5-mill levy for five years to support the St. Clairsville Public Library, a levy for 3.5 mills for 10 years in Yorkville for a new fire truck, and many other levies to support township and village operating expenses, maintain equipment and support emergency medical services.
Buckeye Local School District in Jefferson County is asking for an emergency levy of 4.9 mills over 10 years to provide "for the emergency requirements of the school district," and the village of Tiltonsville is asking voters to pass a five-year, 5.1-mills levy to pay for increased police protection, increase wages and maintain equipment. Village of Smithfield voters will see a 3.5-mill levy for four years to cover operating expenses.
Some townships and villages in Monroe County are asking voters for levies for operating expenses, road maintenance and cemetery maintenance, and some Harrison County townships and villages are asking for levies as well.
Contested elections across the counties include race for township trustees, village councils and school boards, as well as mayoral elections in Bellaire and Shadyside.
Husted is reminds voters that are planning to cast their ballot in-person on Election Day to remember to bring proper identification.