Early in-person voting starts locally, throughout Ohio

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Early in-person voting is underway for the November 3 general election, and ballots are also available by mail. In-person ballots may be cast at the Van Wert County Board of Elections Office, 1362 E. Ervin Rd., Van Wert.

There are eight local issues on the ballot, none of which are countywide:

• A 1.2 mill renewal levy for fire protection in the village of Venedocia.
• A 1.8 mill renewal levy for fire and EMS services in Jackson Township.
• A 1-mill renewal levy for fire and EMS services in Washington Township.
• A pair of 2-mill renewal levies in the village of Convoy, both for operating expenses.
• A 1.4 mill levy in Liberty Township (excluding the village of Ohio City) for fire protection.
• A 1-mill renewal levy for current expenses in Union Township.
• A 1-mill levy for the Tully-Convoy Park District for current operating expenses and future improvements.
• A 2-mill renewal levy for permanent improvements in the Crestview Local Schools district.

The only issue that will be voted on countywide is State Issue 3, a statewide constitutional amendment dealing with voting and photo identification.

No mayoral, city or village council, school board or township trustee races are on the ballot.

In fact, there’s just one local race. Incumbent State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) is seeking another term in the 82nd District and has two challengers – Libertarian Christopher Elder of Paulding and Democrat Maddux McCray of Van Wert, who’s running as a write-in candidate. The 82nd District encompasses all of Van Wert, Paulding and Putnam counties, along with the southern half of Defiance County.

Incumbent Republican Van Wert County Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger is running unopposed, as is Van Wert County Juvenile/Probate Court Judge Eva Yarger, who was appointed to the seat in February, then defeated fellow Republican Todd Wolfrum in the May primary election. Wolfrum will continue on as a county commissioner.

After defeating incumbent Jami Bradford in the May primary election, Arica Wermer is running unopposed for Van Wert County Auditor.

After defeating Jim Hoops in the May primary, Craig Reidel (R-Defiance) is running unopposed for the 1st District Ohio Senate seat.

Statewide races of note on the ballot include the governor’s race between Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, Democrat Amy Action and Libertarian Don Kissick. The three are vying to replace current Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who is unable to seek re-election due to term limits.

The race for U.S. Senate is a hotly contested one as well. It features incumbent Republican Jon Husted, who was appointed to the seat in January of last year, and former longtime Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who lost his bid for re-election in 2024.