Live Election Day coverage of Ohio’s 2022 Midterm

Associated Press calls Ohio U.S. Senate race for Republican J.D. Vance over Democrat Tim Ryan

The Associated Press has called the election in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race for Republican J.D. Vance over Democrat Tim Ryan. Full story coming shortly.

BREAKING: Republican JD Vance wins election to U.S. Senate from Ohio. #APracecall at 11:19 p.m. EST. https://t.co/2nlgpjiEZK

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 9, 2022

Associated Press calls Ohio governor race for Republican incumbent Mike DeWine

The Associated Press called the race for Ohio governor for incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine over Democratic challenger Nan Whaley.

DeWine wins his second term as governor after serving two as Ohio Attorney General, and before that as a U.S. Senator, lieutenant governor, U.S. Congressman, member of the Ohio Senate, and Greene County prosecutor, in an elected career that goes back to 1977.

The Ohio Capital Journal will have full results coverage later tonight and in our newsletter The Eye-Opener tomorrow morning. Subscribe below.

Secretary of State’s office confirms reports of armed man at Ohio polling location in tweet

In a tweet Tuesday evening, the Ohio Secretary of State communications team confirmed a report “of an individual carrying a firearm outside” of an Ohio polling location, but law enforcement says the person is “adhering to Ohio law.”

Ohio is both an open carry state and a permitless concealed carry state, meaning both carrying a visible firearm and a concealed firearm without a permit are legal.

Under federal and Ohio law, it is illegal to intimidate voters, or an election officer, “or prevent an election official from performing the official’s duties.”

It is also illegal to, “Loiter in or about a registration or polling place during registration or the casting and counting of ballots so as to hinder, delay, or interfere with the conduct of the registration or election.”

As long as a certain, marked “campaign-free” distance is maintained from the polling location, however, it is legal to hand out pamphlets.

Final early vote figures set record, offer warning for Dems

Ohioans are casting ballots at polling locations all over the state, but many – nearly 1.4 million in fact – have already voted. In a press release, Secretary of State Frank LaRose trumpeted it as a record for a midterm election.

“The record-setting number of Ohioans who utilized our two early voting options is great news for those hoping for shorter lines on Election Day,” LaRose said.

Importantly, some absentee ballots will continue to trickle in. Voters can drop off completed ballots at their board of election until polls close at 7:30 p.m., and boards will count any ballots postmarked by Nov. 7, too.

The Ohio Secretary of State’s Office said earlier Tuesday that there were more than 150,000 outstanding absentee ballots yet to be returned to county boards of elections.

In general, Democrats are more likely to vote early in person, while Republicans lean toward vote-by-mail. Figures from TargetEarly, which uses voter history to model likely partisanship, suggest Democrats out-performed their 2018 early vote totals by two points, while Republicans fell almost six points short.

It’s a predictable trend. Former President Donald Trump’s suspicion for early voting is vehement and continual. He reiterated that skepticism during an eleventh hour rally in Dayton.

“This is a big election,” Trump told the crowd. “And early voting – which is really concerning, because when you see early voting, I say to everybody vote on Election Day because it’s harder for them to cheat.”

County totals

But at the county level, those early vote totals also offer a few stark warnings for Democrats. The two biggest wells of Democratic votes are in Franklin and Cuyahoga counties. In the latter, early in-person ballots barely surpassed their 2018 total. In the former, they fell short by more than 5,000 votes.

Both counties saw their early vote total – in person and returned mail ballots – lag 2018 by thousands of votes. In Franklin, early votes fell short of 2018 by 9,000, and in Cuyahoga they’re running more than 35,000 behind.

Meanwhile, in large conservative-leaning counties, the early vote totals saw marked increases. Butler, Stark, and Warren counties all strongly favored Trump in 2020 and increased their early vote totals by a few thousand ballots.

Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.

Election protection finding few issues at voting locations

Advocacy groups and poll monitors seeking to help voters know their rights and have a smooth Election Day say there have been a few issues with voting locations, but overall the general election day is running smoothly.

“Overall, we saw very good operations coming out the gates today and we’re very happy about that,” said Jen Miller, head of the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

The Ohio Voters Rights Coalition, of which the LWV is a part, is working today as part of election protections in Ohio.

Though there have been reports of “heckling” and “tension” at the polling locations, nothing has come to a head and volunteer “peacekeepers,” some of which are inter-faith clergy in uniform have been able to de-escalate any issues.

In terms of voting-related issues, a few voters have reported locations needing better signage for entrances and long lines in some locations, but nothing more than isolated incidents, for which boards of elections have been informed.

“Voters should feel confident that they can go to the polls and cast their ballot,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio.

The groups encouraged voters not to leave their voting locations if they have questions, especially if it’s close to the 7:30 p.m. closure of polls. Non-partisan election protection workers are present in some voting locations, and can also be reached at 866-OUR-VOTE.

“If you have a question, please call an expert before you leave your polling location,” said Kayla Griffin, of All Voting is Local. “That is imperative so that they don’t leave and polls close, and they are not able to vote.”

More than 150k absentee ballots still outstanding

The Ohio Secretary of State’s Office said there are more than 150,000 outstanding absentee ballots yet to be returned to county boards of elections.

The last report given by the SOS was as of Monday afternoon, when 154,042 had yet to come back to the boards.

The ballots can still be counted, as long as they are delivered in person to the voter’s county board of elections by the time polls close, at 7:30 p.m. Those that mailed the ballots had to have them postmarked by Monday to have them counted in Tuesday’s general election.

According to the secretary of state’s office, it received more than 1 million absentee ballot requests.

Ballot research stories: The 2022 midterms

If you’re still doing research before you head to the polls to make your decisions, see below for our coverage this year to help!

Midterm Election Guide

2022 Election coverage page

Statewide ballot measures

Issue 1: Determining Bail Amount Based on Public Safety Amendment
Requires Ohio judges to “use factors such as public safety, including the seriousness of the offense, and a person’s criminal record” when setting amounts and conditions of bail.

• Voters to decide whether judges would be required to consider public safety in setting bail

Issue 2: Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment
Prohibits local governments from allowing persons who lack the qualifications of an elector to vote in local elections (this is already in place).

• Ohio voters to decide whether non-citizens can vote in local elections

(i) indicates the candidate is the incumbent. N/A indicates no one petitioned or qualified to run. * by a candidate’s name means they are being evaluated by Sec. of State due to needing a tie-break.

Statewide candidates

Ohio Supreme Court

• Why you should be paying attention to Ohio Supreme Court races

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice (Maureen O’Connor’s seat won in 2016)
Democratic: Jennifer L. Brunner (has been on OSC as a Judge)
Republican: Sharon L. Kennedy (has been on OSC as a Judge)
Independent: N/A

• Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice candidates have very different backgrounds, ideologies, priorities

Ohio Supreme Court Justice (Pat Fischer’s seat won in 2016)
Democratic: Terri Jamison
Republican: Pat Fischer (i)
Independent: N/A

• Current GOP justice, appeals court judge run for Ohio Supreme Court, have very different backgrounds

Ohio Supreme Court Justice (Pat DeWine’s seat won in 2016)
Democratic: Marilyn Zayas
Republican: Pat DeWine (i)
Independent: N/A

• Governor DeWine’s son, appeals court judge run for Ohio Supreme Court, talk about integrity

U.S. Senate
Democratic: Tim Ryan
Republican: J.D. Vance
Valid write-in candidates: John Cheng, Matthew R. Esh, Stephen Faris, Shane Hoffman

• Three takeaways from the final U.S. Senate debate

Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Democratic: Nan Whaley and Cheryl Stephens
Republican: Mike DeWine and Jon Husted (i)
Valid write-in candidates: Timothy Grady and Dayna Bickley; Craig Patton and Collin Cook; Renea Turner and Adina Pelletier; Marshall Usher and Shannon Walker

• At kids’ forum, DeWine talks budgets; Whaley attacks

Attorney General
Democratic: Jeff Crossman
Republican: Dave Yost (i)
Independent: N/A

• Dave Yost and Jeff Crossman run for Ohio Attorney General (Statehouse News Bureau)
• Campaigns brimming with optimism ahead of Tuesday election

Secretary of State
Democratic: Chelsea Clark
Republican: Frank LaRose (i)
Independent: Terpsehore Maras

*Terpsehore Maras was reinstated to the ballot after being denied by the Sec. of State team after some of her signatures were decided as “invalid.” OSC overruled this.

• Frank LaRose and Chelsea Clark run for Ohio Secretary of State (Statehouse News Bureau)
• The 6 races that could impact Ohio’s redistricting debate

Treasurer
Democratic: Scott Schertzer
Republican: Robert Sprague (i)
Independent: N/A

• Robert Sprague and Scott Schertzer run for Ohio Treasurer (Statehouse News Bureau)

Auditor
Democratic: Taylor Sappington
Republican: Keith Faber (i)
Independent: N/A

• Ohio Auditor: Republican Keith Faber defends his seat against Nelsonville Democrat Taylor Sappington

Important information on voting, voter ID, absentee ballots, and the nonpartisan voter hotline

On Election Day, you must cast your ballot in your precinct at your designated polling place between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

If you do not know where your designated precinct or polling place is located, please contact your county board of elections or click here to search for your polling place online.

Voter ID

All voters will need to bring an acceptable identification to the poll in order to verify their identity. Click here for a list of acceptable forms of identification.

Absentee ballots

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be post-marked by Nov. 7.

If not returned by mail, absentee ballots may be personally delivered to your county board of elections. They must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m.

Nonpartisan voter helpline

If you have any questions or concerns about voting, or poll worker challenges to your voting status and registration, a nonpartisan helpline has been created.

Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to speak with a trained Election Protection volunteer in English.

The hotline also comes in different languages

Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)

Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)

Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)

Marking your ballot

Instructions for marking and casting your ballot are posted in each polling place. If you have any questions about how to mark or cast your ballot, or if you have incorrectly marked a ballot, immediately contact a precinct election official for instructions before you continue.

Voting assistance

A voter with a physical or mental disability, or a voter who is unable to read or write, may be assisted by anyone of the voter’s choice, except a candidate who appears on the ballot in that precinct, the voter’s employer or the employer’s agent, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A voter may also be assisted by two poll workers (each of a different political party). No one who assists a voter may disclose any information about how that person voted. For more information about access for voters with disabilities, please click here.