×
X logo

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox.

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)

You may opt-out anytime by clicking "unsubscribe" from the newsletter or from your account.

Voters Head To The Polls In Ohio

Ohio voters are heading to the polls today, and local elections boards expect an average voter turnout of about 30 percent.

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. at all precincts in the Buckeye State. Voters should remember to bring proper identification. A list of acceptable forms of ID can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.

Voters can find their polling location, check their registration status and view a sample ballot by going to myohiovote.com/votertoolkit.

Meanwhile, the village of Belmont may expect a bigger turnout due to excitement about the village’s new polling place.

The Belmont County Board of Elections approved the Belmont Volunteer Fire Department as a voting precinct in February, provided the village made upgrades to the building to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards. For the past several years, village residents had to cast their ballots at the James Carnes Center in St. Clairsville — 14 miles away.

Belmont spent an estimated $18,000 on upgrades to the entrance to the building, which was inspected and officially approved as a polling place in June.

“Having the polling location relocated back to the village will help residents that have a difficult time in getting to the Carnes Center,” said Belmont Councilman Grant Williams. “This will make the voting process much more user-friendly for all residents of our village.”

Sobel hopes residents will take advantage of the new polling place, and sees the new precinct as “the most important thing we have accomplished during my administration.”

“To me, elections should be a local thing,” Sobel said.

Residents of Morristown, Bannock, Lloydsville and Uniontown and Union, Richland and Goshen townships will continue to vote at the Carnes Center.

Bill Shubat, Belmont County director of elections, said compliance with ADA standards has caused many villages to close their polling places and vote at a centrally located, ADA-compliant facility. He said the board does not like moving polling locations, but to meet those requirements sometimes it must be done.

“You used to have a precinct on every corner. But we have to follow the law to make sure every polling place is handicapped-accessible,” Shubat said.

There are several contested races for municipal office, boards of education and township trustee seats across Belmont, Monroe, Harrison and Jefferson counties. A number of communities also will see levies and local liquor options on the ballot.

Voters also will decide two statewide issues — Issue 1, the proposed Rights for Crime Victims constitutional amendment known as “Marsy’s Law,” and Issue 2, which would seeks to require that state agencies pay no more for prescription drugs than the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today