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Here’s the state of the races on Election Day

Election Day is over in Ohio.

The Dispatch chronicled voting and results as they rolled in across Columbus and central Ohio. You can relive the day in our blog below.

Find results for state, local and national contests here.

That’s a wrap for our live coverage here | 11:53 p.m.

At the end of the day, Ohio Republicans won out in many of Ohio’s statewide races.

Former Republican President Donald Trump won Ohio for the third straight presidential election in a row. Republican Bernie Moreno defeated Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s Senate race.

The GOP also won all three of Ohio’s Supreme Court races and many congressional districts throughout the state, sending Rep. Jim Jordan, Rep. Troy Balderson and Republican David Taylor won in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional district.

Ohio voters also rejected a statewide redistricting proposal in Issue 1.

Locally, Democrat Joyce Beatty won reelection to her seat in Ohio’s 3rd Congressional district and Democrats won the Franklin County prosecutor’s office and the Franklin County treasurer’s office.

COTA’s ballot measure called LinkUS that will fund rapid transit buses in Columbus also passed.

Keep checking Dispatch.com for more results through election night and follow the outcomes at our official results page here.

Brown loses reelection bid to Moreno | 11:33 p.m.

Longtime Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown was defeated by Republican businessman Bernie Moreno Tuesday in the nation’s costliest U.S. Senate race in history, according to Fox News and NBC News.

Republicans and Democrats spent nearly $477 million on the race, according to AdImpact, making it the most expensive non-presidential contest on record.

Brown, a three-term senator, is one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country in today’s election − second only to Montana Sen. Jon Tester − and Republicans see the Buckeye State as key to gaining control of the Senate.

—Haley BeMiller reporting from Columbus.

Voters reject Ohio Issue 1 | 11:28 p.m.

Voters rejected Ohio Issue 1 Tuesday, choosing to stick with the status quo instead of setting up a new citizen commission to draw congressional and state legislative districts.  

Ohio will continue to use its current redistricting method led by state lawmakers and a commission of seven elected officials.  

The Associated Press called the race around 11:20 on Tuesday night.

—Jessie Balmert reporting from Columbus.

Republicans sweep all 3 Ohio Supreme Court races | 11:25 p.m.

Republicans expanded their control of Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday by sweeping three races, giving the GOP six of seven seats beginning in January.

The GOP wins come as justices will decide cases involving the abortion rights amendment that voters approved last year. Ohio Right to Life endorsed the three Republicans for supreme court.

Incumbent Democrat Justice Melody Stewart lost to Justice Joe Deters, a Republican appointed to the bench by Gov. Mike DeWine two years ago. Deters, a former prosecutor, opted to challenge Stewart rather than run to retain his seat.

Incumbent Justice Michael Donnelly, a Cleveland area Democrat, lost his seat to Republican challenger Megan Shanahan, a Hamilton County judge making her first statewide run.

—Laura Bischoff reporting for the USA TODAY Ohio Bureau.

Some central Ohio school levies pass while others go down | 11:15 p.m.

Central Ohio saw a mixed bag Tuesday night when it comes to school district ballot measures.

Some suburban Columbus districts passed their levies and bond issues, while more rural districts appear to have struggled or failed to pass theirs.

Per unofficial results, here are the levies that appear to have passed and the ones that appear to have been voted down.

Likely passed:

  • Bexley City Schools
  • Grandview Heights City Schools
  • Hilliard City Schools
  • New Albany-Plains Local Schools

Likely failed:

  • Buckeye Valley Local Schools
  • Groveport Madison Local Schools
  • Madison-Plains Local Schools
  • Marysville Exempted Village Schools
  • Reynoldsburg City Schools
  • Westerville City Schools

—Cole Behrens reporting from Columbus.

Watch live: Moreno to speak soon; leading Brown in Ohio Senate race | 11:11 p.m.

Republican Bernie Moreno, who is leading in the U.S. Senate race against incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown, is speaking to a gathering of supporters.

To watch his remarks, head over to The Dispatch’s story on the race at the link below.

Watch live: Bernie Moreno to speak soon; leading Brown in Ohio Senate race

Franklin County Children Services levy approved by voters | 10:28 p.m.

A property tax levy for Franklin County Children Services passed Tuesday night, according to unofficial results.

Around 10:15 p.m., with 87% of precincts reporting, 63% had voted for the levy and 37% had voted against it.

The agency asked voters to renew an existing 1.9 mills and approve an increase of 0.6 mills. If passed, property owners would pay about $21 more per year for every $100,000 of appraised value. Right now, about $28 per $100,000 of value is collected from this levy for owner-occupied homes.

—Jordan Laird reporting from Columbus.

Local races called: Democrats win Franklin County prosecutor and treasurer races | 10:24 p.m.

Franklin County voters are casting ballots Tuesday in two contested races for county offices.

Democrat Shayla Favor’s appears to have defeated Republican John Rutan for Franklin County prosecutor with 58% of precincts reporting and early voters results counted, according to the Franklin County Board of Elections. Favor had 65% or 219,733 votes to Rutan’s 35% or 110,527 votes.

Voters elected current prosecutor, Democrat Gary Tyack, in 2020, but he did not seek reelection.

Incumbent Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, a Democrat, is likely to defeat Libertarian Drake Lundstrom in the race for Franklin County Treasurer.

With 58% of precincts reporting, results from the Franklin County Board of Elections show Brooks Sullivan with 80% or 280,594 votes over Lundstrom’s 19% or 67,470.

Brooks Sullivan, 67, first took office as county treasurer in 2017.

Lundstrom, 29, previously told The Dispatch he knew the race would be an uphill battle for him because of how strong the Democratic registration edge and influence is in Franklin County.

Columbus leaders claim victory for LinkUS as COTA levy passes | 10:12 p.m.

Columbus Democrats claimed victory Tuesday as the Central Ohio Transit Authority sales tax levy appeared headed for passage. 

Around 10 p.m., 58% of voters had voted for the levy and 41% had voted against it, according to unofficial results.

That’s with 58% of precincts reporting in Franklin County. Slivers of four surrounding counties — Delaware, Licking, Fairfield and Union — also voted on the levy.

“LinkUS is going to change the trajectory of this community,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther.

Franklin County Democrats celebrated the levy’s projected passage at an election night watch party.

“I believe that transportation is a human right and tonight we made an investment in making sure that we are moving our community forward,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin.

—Jordan Laird reporting from Columbus.

Moreno leading Brown in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race | 10:04 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is losing to Republican businessman Bernie Moreno in the nation’s costliest U.S. Senate race in history.

Republicans and Democrats spent nearly $477 million on the race, according to AdImpact, making it the most expensive non-presidential contest on record.

Brown, a three-term senator, is one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country in today’s election − second only to Montana Sen. Jon Tester − and Republicans see the Buckeye State as key to gaining control of the Senate.

—Haley BeMiller reporting from Columbus.

Scenes from election night in Ohio | 9:47 p.m.

Dispatch photojournalists are capturing the scenes and celebrations around Ohio on election night. Check out photos in the gallery below.

COTA levy for LinkUS rapid buses sees high support in early results | 9:35 p.m.

In unofficial early results Tuesday, the Central Ohio Transit Authority sales tax levy appeared to be rolling toward passage.

Results are coming in from Franklin County and slivers of four surrounding counties that voted on whether to invest in LinkUS, a plan for more bus service, sidewalks and bike paths.

Around 9:30 p.m., 59% of voters had voted for the levy and 41% had voted against it. Voters in Franklin County and small parts of Delaware, Licking, Union and Fairfield counties cast ballots on the LinkUS ballot measure on Tuesday.

—Jordan Laird reporting from Columbus.

Donald Trump wins Ohio in presidential race | 9:13 p.m.

Former president Donald Trump has won Ohio yet again.

The Associated Press called Ohio for Trump just before 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The Republican nominee captured Ohio and its 17 electoral votes for the third straight presidential election.

The last time Ohio voted for a Democrat for president was in 2012 when voters awarded the state’s electoral votes to then-president Barack Obama.

House race called: Ohio voters send Troy Balderson back to Congress | 9:05 p.m.

Incumbent Troy Balderson, a Republican who has been in office since September 2018, won reelection Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race for Balderson shortly before 9 p.m. 

Ohio’s 12th Congressional District includes all of Licking and Fairfield counties, part of Delaware County and several mostly rural counties from Holmes to Athens. This district favors Republicans.

Balderson previously told The Dispatch he concentrates his efforts on supporting agriculture, American energy, fighting the opioid epidemic and expanding quality and affordable health care.

Balderson defeated Democrat Jerrad Christian to win reelection.

—Anna Lynn Winfrey reporting from Columbus.

Race called: Republican Jim Jordan reelected to Congress | 8:54 p.m.

Jim Jordan, the Republican incumbent, will be heading back to D.C. for another two years.

The Associated Press called the race for Jordan around 8:45 p.m. Tuesday with around 52% of votes counted. Jordan’s district includes all of Union County, the western half of Delaware County and extends from Lima to Ashland.

Jordan defeated Democrat Tamie Wilson to return to Congress. Wilson challenged Jordan two years ago and at that time received 31% of votes.

Jordan, who has been in this office since 2007, helped start the right-wing House Freedom Caucus. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

—Anna Lynn Winfrey reporting from Columbus.

Congressional races called: Beatty reelected to U.S. House seat | 8:43 p.m.

The Associated Press called the 3rd Congressional District for incumbent Democrat Joyce Beatty, who represents parts of Columbus.

At the time the race was called, Beatty had 74% of the votes counted so far as of 8:30 p.m., according to the Franklin County Board of Elections.

The AP also called the 2nd Congressional District, in the southern area of the state, for Republican David Taylor. Taylor won the open seat after a previous Republican declined to seek reelection.

In two of the most competitive races in Ohio with Democratic incumbents — Ohio’s 9th and 13th districts — Marcy Kaptur and Emilia Sykes had double-digit leads over Republican challengers, according to early results reported by the Associated Press.

In the 4th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Jim Jordan had a 30-point lead over Democratic challenger Tamie Wilson with approximately 41% of votes counted.

—Anna Lynn Winfrey reporting from Columbus.

Voters in Franklin County deciding on prosecutor and treasurer | 8:30 p.m.

Central Ohio voters cast ballots today for both the Franklin County prosecutor and the Franklin County treasurer.

Democrat Shayla Favor is handily leading Republican John Rutan for Franklin County prosecutor in early, unofficial results with only early voting and absentee ballots counted and before any precinct results were reported from the Franklin County Board of Elections.

Voters elected current prosecutor, Democrat Gary Tyack, in 2020, but he did not seek reelection.

Incumbent Franklin County treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, a Democrat, is leading Libertarian Drake Lundstrom in early, unofficial results in the race for Franklin County Treasurer.

Lundstrom, 29, previously told The Dispatch he knew the race would be an uphill battle for him because of how strong the Democrat influence is in Franklin County.

Brooks Sullivan, 67, first took office as county treasurer in 2017.

—Bethany Bruner reporting from Columbus.

Franklin County Children Services levy favored by voters in early results | 8:17 p.m.

Based on mail-in and early votes early Tuesday night, Franklin County voters were favoring a property tax levy for Franklin County Children Services.

Among early votes cast in Franklin County, 65% had voted for the levy and 35% had voted against it, early unofficial results show.

The agency asked voters to renew an existing 1.9 mills and approve an increase of 0.6 mills. If passed, property owners would pay about $21 more per year for every $100,000 of appraised value. 

The ask comes as the agency reports rising costs for child placement.

—Jordan Laird reporting from Columbus.

Brown now leading Moreno in early results for Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat | 8:10 p.m.

Democrat U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown now leads Republican businessman Bernie Moreno in the nation’s costliest U.S. Senate race in history.

Brown, a three-term senator, was one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country in today’s election − second only to Montana Sen. Jon Tester − and Republicans see the Buckeye State as key to gaining control of the Senate.

—Haley BeMiller reporting from Columbus.

COTA sales tax levy to add LinkUS rapid bus lines passing in early results | 8:03 p.m.

Franklin County voters appeared to favor the Central Ohio Transit Authority sales tax levy, according to early unofficial results Tuesday.

Among early votes cast in just Franklin County, 59% had voted for the levy and 41% had voted against it.

Slivers of four surrounding counties also voted on whether to invest in LinkUS, a plan for more bus service, sidewalks and bike paths.

—Jordan Laird reporting from Columbus.

Ohio Issue 1 failing in early results | 7:59 p.m.

Ohio Issue 1, which would give citizens the power to draw congressional and state legislative districts, is failing in early election results.

A vote for Issue 1 would create a 15-member commission of five Republicans, five Democrats and five independents to draw districts for candidates representing Ohioans in Columbus and Washington, D.C. Commission members could not be elected officials, candidates, lobbyists or campaign staffers.

Issue 1 would also change how they must draw the maps, putting a greater emphasis on matching how Ohioans vote in statewide elections. It would keep communities of interest together but have no limits on how often a city, county or township is divided.

—Jessie Balmert reporting from Columbus.

‘Under the wire:’ Last absentee ballot dropped off at Franklin County Board of Elections | 7:43 p.m.

The scene at the Franklin County Board of Elections Tuesday evening was quite the contrast compared to the final days of early voting.

The Morse Road parking lot was packed Sunday and some people waited as long as three hours to cast a ballot on the last day of Ohio’s early voting.

But despite a packed parking lot at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, things were fairly quiet. The Board of Elections office is not an official polling location on Election Day, unless someone is casting a provisional ballot or returning an absentee ballot in person.

About a dozen cars turned into the parking lot during the final 30 minutes of voting. Most were there to return absentee ballots to a white tent in the parking lot manned by election workers.

But some pulled in thinking it was their polling location. One first time voter asked a parking lot attendant if he could vote inside.

“He’s going to be disappointed,” the attendant told The Dispatch.

The last car that pulled in to return an absentee ballot got in line at 7:28 p.m.

“Just under the wire,” the driver exclaimed.

—Sheridan Hendrix reporting from the Franklin County Board of Elections in Columbus.

Here’s how to see election night results as Ohio polls close | 7:30 p.m.

Polls are officially closed in Ohio.

The Dispatch’s election hub will provide updates on the presidential race, statewide offices and local contests shaping the political landscape in central Ohio.

Follow along for detailed coverage and results as they come in throughout the night.

The Dispatch will post results here along with on its results page below.

The latest: Ohio election results: Who’s winning local, statewide, presidential elections?

When will Ohio election results roll in tonight? | 7:02 p.m.

It’s unclear how long it will take for every ballot cast in Ohio to be counted on election night.

But Ohioans should expect to begin seeing some results roll in shortly after polls close at 7:30 p.m. The Dispatch will be watching a number of key races across Columbus and Ohio.

Check back with Dispatch.com for live results and reactions to the following races:

  • President: Trump (R)  vs. Harris (D).
  • U.S. Senate: Brown (D) vs. Moreno (R).
  • Issue 1 (Citizens Redistricting Commission).
  • Ohio Supreme Court: Shanahan (R) vs. Donnelly (D).
  • Ohio Supreme Court: Deters (R) vs. Stewart (D).
  • Ohio Supreme Court:  Hawkins (R) vs. Forbes (D).
  • Issue 47 (COTA LinkUS sales tax).
  • Franklin County prosecutor.
  • Franklin County treasurer.
  • Franklin County children services levy.
  • School levies for Bexley, Grandview Heights, Groveport Madison, Hilliard, Madison-Plains, New Albany-Plain Local, Reynoldsburg and Westerville.

—Max Filby reporting from the Columbus newsroom.

After morning surge, polling locations expected a post-workday rush of voters | 6:32 p.m.

An early rush of voters Tuesday morning at Bethel International United Methodist Church on the Northwest Side of Columbus had slowed to a trickle by the evening.

Nick Cipiti, voting location manager at the church, said the line to vote poured out into the parking lot with voters waiting about 45 minutes at its longest.

Despite the lines, Cipiti said everyone had been in a positive mood all day. There was a lull at the precinct around 5 p.m., but Cipiti said he was expecting a post-work crowd to arrive soon.

“Knock on wood, the night is still young, but we’ve had no problems so far,” Cipiti said.

Student athletes at Upper Arlington High School were in the middle of practice as a few voters trickled into the high school’s voting location.

Jason Corner, voting location manager at the precinct, said it’s been the busiest Election Day he’s seen in years. Corner has been volunteering on Election Day since 2008 and has been at Upper Arlington High School since 2019. 

“We’ve been busier this year and had more voters than any election I’ve seen here,” Corner said.

—Sheridan Hendrix reporting from Columbus and Upper Arlington.

When do Ohio polls close on Election Day and do you need an ID to vote? | 6:05 p.m.

Ohioans have less than 90 minutes left to cast their votes.

The polls close in Ohio at 7:30 p.m., according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office. State law also requires Ohioans to bring a form of photo identification to the polls.

The ID cannot have surpassed its expiration date and it must include a photo, the voter’s name and must conform the the voter’s name as it appears in a poll list or poll book, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.

Here’s a list of acceptable forms of ID

  • Ohio driver’s license
  • State of Ohio ID card
  • Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV
  • A US passport
  • A US passport card
  • US military ID card
  • Ohio National Guard ID card
  • US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

—Max Filby reporting from the Columbus newsroom.

Ohio polling place closed because of ‘suspicious package’ | 5:36 p.m.

Police closed a polling place in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Hyde Park late Tuesday after poll workers discovered a suspicious backpack.

Voters at the Church of the Redeemer on Erie Avenue were told to leave the site shortly after 4 p.m. and head to Knox Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue, the nearest polling location. Despite the disruption, election officials said all voters were able to cast ballots.

About an hour later, firefighters said they’d x-rayed the backpack and determined it was not a bomb or a threat of any kind. Election officials, however, said the Church of the Redeemer polling place would not reopen.

Voters who normally cast ballots at Church of the Redeemer were redirected to the Knox Presbyterian location.

—Dan Horn reporting from Cincinnati for the Enquirer.

Will Ohio hit a new record for voter turnout? | 5:19 p.m.

Around 5 p.m., Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Ohio set a new statewide record for in-person early voting this year.

In 68 of 88 Ohio counties, previous records set in 2020 were surpassed.

“The record for mail-in voting will always be tough to beat due to the pandemic in 2020, but Ohio voters are showing increasing confidence in casting a ballot early,” LaRose wrote. “Turnout today is brisk, so we’ll see what the final numbers show overall.”

In Franklin County, voter turnout was 31% as of 4:30 p.m. on Election Day, said Aaron Sellers with the Franklin County Board of Elections. A reported 245,477 early votes cast early in Franklin County, including early in-person voting, mail voting, drop boxes, and personal delivery, amounting to 27.2% of total eligible voters.

All of that adds up to turnout a voter turnout in Franklin County above 58.2% so far, data shows.

— Danae King, reporting from the Columbus newsroom.

A local issue was missing from some Nelsonville ballots today | 5:14 p.m.

Nearly 100 voters were given an incorrect ballot in Nelsonville, Ohio in Athens County this morning.

The error was due to a printing company that works with the Athens County Board of Elections, which used a wrong, outdated file, said Debbie Quivey, director of the county board of elections.

The paper ballots, not opened until this morning, did not include a proposed Nelsonville ordinance, Issue 23. The issue allows voters to determine whether Nelsonville, a city of about 4,500, would keep its charter form of government or switch to a statutory form of government.

A court decision was pending regarding if the issue would go on the ballot, causing the board of elections to need to send a second ballot file to its printer once it was approved to be on the ballot, Quivey said.

The incorrect ballot was discovered due to another issue at Nelsonville’s polling place this morning, Quivey said. When an election board official went over to the location, which is home to four precincts, the tabulating machine wasn’t taking the second page of the paper ballots, the worker discovered that Issue 23 wasn’t on the ballots.

At around 7:47 a.m., the precinct stopped the use of paper ballots and started using marking machines, she said.A list of the 98 people who had voted without Issue 23 on their ballots was generated and efforts were made to contact all of those voters, who needed to come back and vote on that issue by 7:30 p.m.

The people of Nelsonville have been understanding about the mistake and voting has gone smoothly there otherwise, Quivey said.

Overall, voter turnout in Athens County was at 28% at 4:30 p.m. on Election Day, with 30% turnout for absentee voters and early voting in-person, she said. Total turnout in Athens County was 66.98% in 2020.

“We are very, very sorry that this happened,” Quivey said. “It was an error on the part of the vendor. … They’re very good. Mistakes happen.”

— Danae King, reporting from the Columbus newsroom.

50,000 voters expected in Licking County

Licking County is poised to get 50,000 voters at the polls today, said Brian Mead, director of the Licking County Board of Elections.

The number dwarfs the 30,921 who voted on Election Day 2020, when many citizens voted absentee because of the COVID pandemic.

Mead said voting in the county was smooth, though long lines were reported at Reynoldsburg High School.

What drove voters’ choices

Dispatch reporters spoke with dozens of voters at central Ohio polls today. Several issues drove voters, but not surprisingly, one stood out: the presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.

A sample of their comments:

  • “I don’t like where we’re headed,” said Jo Ann Potts, 58, who voted a straight GOP ticket in Greenfield Township in Fairfield County.
  • “Our forefathers gave us this republic. They said, ‘If you can keep it,’ ” said GOP activist Lori Burnip of New Albany, quoting Benjamin Franklin. “This is our 1776 moment.”
  • “I don’t want a crazy person to run the country,” said Karen Good, 74, of Hebron, explaining her vote for Harris.
  • “We’ve got to make sure there’s an economy that works for everybody and a country that works for everybody,” said Ross Goldsmith, of Gahanna, who voted for Harris.
  • “I support Kamala Harris because from the policies we’ve heard – like $25,000 for first-time homebuyers and the tax credit for people with kids. She’s for the American people,” Cameron Sharp, who voted in Hilliard. “I also like the quality of character that Harris has.”
  • “I feel like this country was in better shape when he was in office,” said Francy Lucas of Heath, explaining her vote for Trump.
  • “For me personally I have to vote to protect her,” said Kindra Weaver, explaining that she voted for Harris because of her daughter.
  • “I think he’s got a better plan,” said Brian Fuerstenau of Groveport, who voted for Trump.
  • “I’m mad at both parties,” said Wayne Cagg, of Baltimore, who cast a vote for independent Richard Duncan. “They ticked me off this year.”

Voting for discounts

Those “I Voted” stickers aren’t just decoration. They can get you discounts today on food, coffee, beer and cocktails. Among the deals:

  • Hot Chicken Takeover locations around central Ohio offer 20% off dine-in orders.
  • Participating Krispy Kreme locations provide free glazed doughnuts while supplies last.
  • The Cheesecake Girl is giving away a free mini-cheesecake to those sporting stickers. The stores can be found in Dublin, Hilliard, New Albany, Italian Village and the Wexner Medical Center.
  • BD’s Mongolian Grill is giving 20% off orders.
  • Stauf’s Coffee Roasters locations – Grandview Heights, German Village, Victorian Village and North Market Downtown – are giving a free upgrade on drinks today.
  • Suzi-Cue Pool Hall in the University District will offer $1 off cocktails and $1 Q Brews from Gahanna’s Homestead Beer Co. to customers wearing voting stickers.

When will we learn results?

Ohio polls close at 7:30 p.m. and some results may be known by around 8 p.m. when board of elections post totals from absentee ballots cast before today.

Election results: Find Ohio vote totals here

Franklin County turnout tops 50% by mid-day

By mid-afternoon, more than half of Franklin County’s eligible voters had cast ballots, raising the prospect of a record turnout.

As of 2:45 p.m., 27% of Franklin County’s 903,504 eligible voters cast votes on election day Tuesday, said Aaron Sellers, with the Franklin County Board of Elections.

That early count comes in addition to the 245,477 votes cast early in Franklin County – or 27.2% of the total eligible.

Combined, that adds up to more than 54% of all eligible voters in the county casting ballots by mid-day.

Sellers didn’t know how that percentage compared to turnout in 2020, the last presidential election, but said total turnout that year was 72%.

“I think we’ll be in that ballpark,” he said of this year. “It wouldn’t surprise me and we may beat it.”

Turnout appears strong

Voter turnout appeared to remain strong in central Ohio by late morning, as some precincts continued to report lines and waits.

“We’ve had a pretty steady stream all morning,” said Richard Canary, voting location manager at Hilliard Station Sixth Grade Elementary School, reflecting election officials’ comments throughout central Ohio.

An estimated 90 to 100 people waited outside the Hilliard Station site shortly after the location opened at 6:30 a.m. but despite the large turnout, the check-in and voting process moved forward without a hitch, Canary said.

To move lines along, some precincts asked voters if they wanted to vote by paper with in-person absentee ballots.

Voting at Tuesday’s polls was strong despite exceptionally strong early voting turnout.

More than 2.5 million Ohio voters cast early ballots. In Franklin County, 245,477 early votes were cast. Of those, 52% were early in-person voting, 41% mail voting, 7% drop boxes and less than 1% personal delivery.

Weather cooperates with election

Warm temperatures and sunny skies welcomed voters to the polls, possibly helping turnout. Temperatures are expected to hit 80 degrees Tuesday, topping the previous record of 77 set two years ago.

Today’s exceptionally warm weather follows a record high of 75 degrees in Columbus on Monday, the highest temperature recorded on Nov. 4 since at least 1878 when the National Weather Service’s records start.

Just two days prior, the city recorded a record low temperature of 34 degrees on Nov. 2.

JD Vance casts vote in Ohio

Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance voted Tuesday morning at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in the Cincinnati neighborhood of East Walnut Hills, where he maintains a home. His wife, Usha, and children were also in attendance.

“I feel good about this race,” the U.S. senator from Ohio told reporters. “Hopefully it goes as well for President Trump and me as it went for me a couple of years ago in the state of Ohio.”

Voters report smooth process, but some long waits

Voters reported largely uneventful polling experiences Tuesday, though a few central Ohio spots had lines that lasted more than an hour.

Nearly all the voters interviewed by The Dispatch or who responded to a Dispatch survey reported an uneventful morning, though some reported long waits.

“People in line were patient, they chatted nicely to each other, and the poll workers were very helpful and pleasant,” said one Hilliard survey respondent. “I heard many people thanking the poll workers.”

The respondent said the wait was more than an hour, which was echoed by respondents in Westerville, Trinity United Methodist Church in Grandview and in Madison Township.

The Madison Township voter said voting was delayed in part because ballots were slow to print on some machines.

“It was otherwise uneventful. I was the 138th person to vote around 8:15 and there was one first-time voter during the hour I was there.” 

Otherwise, voters reported lines as short as 10 minutes at the Franklin County Board of Elections office on Morse Road, and a positive experience.

“There was a long line but it moved quickly,” said a voter who said they waited 20 minutes at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. “Poll workers were pleasant and efficient!”

How did your voting experience go?

As you take to the polls today, The Dispatch would like to hear from you about how it went.

How long was the line? Were there any problems? Fill out our form below to answer these questions and more. We may use your answers in our reporting.

GOP and Dems head to polls as observers

Republicans planned to send 240 observers to Franklin County’s 302 polling locations, according to Franklin County Board of Elections spokesperson Aaron Sellers.

For the Democrats, 198 observers signed up.

Sellers couldn’t say how many observers were in previous presidential elections or whether this is the most ever. But this is a lot, he said.  

Republicans promised months ago to recruit poll observers to monitor this November election.  

Observers are not allowed to interfere with poll workers or voters, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.  They are allowed to “watch and inspect” but not to touch any ballots or other “election materials.” They cannot take photos, video or record audio.  

Observers cannot enforce laws but can report their concerns to local board of elections. On Election Day, observers are required to swear to follow the law.  

One man expressed concern in a Village of South Bloomfield polling location in Pickaway County about Republican Party officials near the polls, said South Bloomfield Acting Police Chief Michael Maynard.

The man wasn’t yelling or otherwise causing a disturbance, and left before police arrived, Maynard said, adding that Republican officials were following the law.

“He was upset about the official Republican Party representatives that are on the property, however, they are beyond the 100-foot line, away from the polling location,” Maynard said. “And they’re not approaching electors or anything like that. They’re not soliciting.”

Watch for long voting lines

Several central Ohio precincts reported long lines Tuesday morning, despite heavy early voting.

Voting at Indianola Church of Christ in the University District is typically an in-and-out experience. This year though, voters wrapped around the basement of the campus-area church for nearly 25 minutes waiting for a machine. A mix of university students and nearby residents patiently waited to cast their votes. One of the poll workers told those waiting that they could use a paper ballot instead of waiting for a machine, but everyone stayed put.

At Victory Hill Church in Greenfield Township in Fairfield County, about 30 people were in line when polls opened at 6:30 according to Bob Huffman, the voting location’s manager.

“It’s great to see people exercising their rights,” he said.

Huffman said the morning was busy the four precincts in the church were running well.

Polls open

Polls opened at 6:30 this morning, allowing millions of Ohioans to cast votes for president, senator, representatives and hundreds of local races across the state. Polls will remain open until 7:30 tonight.

In addition to the presidential contest featuring former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, Ohioans will decide between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican businessman Bernie Moreno for U.S. Senate, in what is the most expensive non-presidential race in U.S. history.

Other statewide issues include three Ohio Supreme Court justice seats and Issue 1, which would change how maps are drawn for congressional and Statehouse districts. 

Voters will decide the fate of several central Ohio races including a proposal to raise sales tax by half a percent (from 0.5% to 1.0%) in the area serviced by Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) to fund mass-transit improvements known as LinkUS. 

What you need to vote

Rules to vote have changed, requiring Ohioans to show valid photo identification at the polls. Acceptable i.d.s are:

  • Ohio driver’s license (It does not need to list the address where you are registered to vote.)
  • Ohio state ID card
  • U.S. passport or passport card
  • Military identification issued by the Ohio National Guard or U.S. government
  • U.S. Veterans Affairs ID card
  • Interim identification form issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

Those without valid ID will be asked to vote with a provisional ballot.

Look for updates to this live election blog throughout the day.

Dispatch reporters Mark Williams, Bob Vitale, Sheridan Hendrix, Bailey Gallion, Danae King, Nathan Hart, Belinda Paschal, Sophia Veneziano and Barbara Perenic contributed to this report.

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