Get ready to vote!
November 3 hands you one of the longest ballots Ohio has seen in years — and the candidates you vote for at the local, state, and national levels will each have impact. Please invest time learning about the candidates and voting for those who best represent your interests.
Here is what is coming up
Ohio elects a governor, five other statewide officers, two Supreme Court justices, a United States senator, a member of Congress, and every seat in the Ohio House.
Bigger than any single candidate, three things get settled:
- Whether one party continues to govern Ohio without a check. One party holds a supermajority in both chambers of the General Assembly — enough votes to override any governor’s veto.
- Whether Ohio’s Supreme Court keeps a dissenting voice. The court sits 6–1 today. Both seats on the ballot are the ones that could make it 7–0.
- Whether our US delegation reclaims authority it has been giving away to the executive branch. On war powers, on tariffs, on oversight, the votes are on the record and available to anyone who wants to look.
Five dates to put on your calendar
- October 5Last day to register, or to update your name or address.
- October 6Early in-person voting begins, and absentee ballots start going out.
- October 27Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail. Do not wait for this one — the mail has to travel twice.
- November 1Last day of early in-person voting. Hours vary by county.
- November 3Election Day, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A mailed ballot must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m. — a postmark is no longer enough.
Voters who decide in advance how and when they will vote are far more likely to actually do it. Pick your day now. Note: official sample ballots from each county may not be available until late September or early October. We are providing information about many of the races on the ballot in the information below.
Information to help you get started
There is a lot on the ballot this fall! Following is information from Ohio District 14 Partners to help you start learning about each race. The information is present in short pieces below. Start with whichever one you find interestng.
Who will be on your ballot
Ohio Disrict 14 Partners has prepared a listing of those on the ballot this fall; county by county — statewide offices, both Supreme Court seats, the Senate special election, Congress, and the General Assembly districts across Lake, Geauga, Portage, Ashtabula and Trumbull. There is a plain-language reminder of what each of these offices actually does.
Four races that decide the most
Republicans hold a supermajority of seats in both the Senate and the House at the Ohio General Assembly. Six seats changing hands in the House, or five in the Senate, ends that supermajority. This is why a handful of local Ohio Senate and House races carry weight far beyond their district lines. See how the numbers work.
Ohio Senate District 27
Mike Roberto (D) vs. Steve Demetriou (R)
An open seat that both campaigns and outside handicappers call a toss-up — by several accounts the most competitive Senate district on the map. It is also a clear choice about how Ohio funds its public schools.
Ohio Supreme Court, two seats
Brunner vs. O’Donnell · Zayas vs. Hawkins
These two races sit near the bottom of a long ballot and are routinely decided by voters who ran out of patience three offices earlier. They will shape Ohio law for a decade.
U.S. House, Ohio District 14
Maria Jukic (D) vs. Dave Joyce (R, incumbent)
Two sets of recorded votes are worth your attention before you decide — the war powers resolutions on Iran, and the Medicaid and SNAP cuts. Every roll call is linked so you can check it yourself.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Acton / Pepper (D) vs. Ramaswamy / McColley (R)
Every current statewide officeholder is term-limited, so Ohio’s entire executive branch turns over at once — the first time in a long while. A governor’s veto is only as strong as the legislature’s inability to override it.
Not sure which district you are in? Your sample ballot will tell you, and it also shows every local levy and school issue you will be handed. Get it at VoteOhio.gov or from your county Board of Elections.
Ohio District 14 Partners is a nonpartisan grassroots group serving Ohio’s 14th District. We advocate for personal freedoms, the Constitution, and the rule of law. Questions, corrections, or want to get involved? ohiodistrict14partners@gmail.com
Every figure on these pages is sourced. Each page carries its own source list at the bottom.