It's here. Election Day 2024. Everything from the Senate race to levies to school board issues is up for grabs.
When do polls open?
The polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. CLICK HERE for election results, which we'll post as they come in.
How News 5 will get you results
News 5 has partnered with Decision Desk HQ to get you quick and accurate reporting for the 2024 election.
RELATED: 2024 OHIO VOTER GUIDE: Everything you need to know
8:39 a.m. update
Republican Senate candidate voted at his polling place Tuesday morning. Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is expected to vote later this morning.
8:30 a.m. update
A scanner is down at the Parma Powers Branch location.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections said voting should not be interrupted and scanners are not required for voting.
6:28 a.m. Update
Voters lined up in anticipation for the polls to open.
6:09 a.m. Update
The Portage County Board of Elections announced a record-high early in-person voter turnout of 18,442.
For the 2020 election, voter turn out was 15,573.
The county is expecting 75% of voters in person.
Senate Race
Incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown is facing Republican Bernie Moreno in one of the tightest races in the country.
Brown was first elected to the state house in 1974.
Moreno's message? After a half-century in office, it's time for change.
"That's the closing argument; look, the guy's 50 years in elected office,” Moreno said. “Eighteen campaigns, never had a job in the private sector. It's time for these career politicians to go. Put new blood in there. People who have a new perspective. They know how to create opportunities for people."
Both men tell News 5 they are encouraged by what they see in the early voting numbers and the enthusiasm for their campaigns.
RELATED: Brown, Moreno make their closing arguments to Ohio voters ahead of Tuesday's election
Brown won 18 counties in his 2018 victory, and Donald Trump won nine of them back in 2020.
Issue 1
Ohioans will be voting on Issue 1 this November — a redistricting proposal that could drastically change the balance of power within the Statehouse. But there is a problem. Viewers and readers have worried that the messaging for and against the amendment is confusing.
Both the Vote Yes and Vote No side say theirs would end gerrymandering.
RELATED: What does a yes vote on Ohio Issue 1 mean? What does a no vote mean?
You will be voting on whether Ohio should remove politicians from the redistricting process.
Currently, Ohio lawmakers draw the maps — ones that directly impact them and their colleagues.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC) is made up of seven spots. Two will always go to Republicans and two to Democrats in the Statehouse. The three remaining seats are the governor, secretary of state, and auditor.
This led to the Ohio redistricting mess of 2022, when a bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court struck down seven different passed maps, citing that the GOP members of the commission were drawing lines to unfairly benefit their party.
Voting yes on Issue 1 would create a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (OCRC), made up of Republican, Democratic and independent citizens who broadly represent the different geographic areas and demographics of the state.
It bans current or former politicians, political party officials, lobbyists and large political donors from sitting on the commission.
It requires fair and impartial districts by making it unconstitutional to draw voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician. It also mandates the commission to operate under an open and independent process.
The commissioners would draw the maps based on federal law, also taking into account past election data on partisan preferences. The commission would ensure that each district has a reasonably equal population and that communities of interest are kept together.
Voting no on Issue 1 would be rejecting the independent commission proposal and keeping the current setup. Voting no could also mean you are hopeful that Republicans will keep to their word of proposing a "solution" to make the system better in the future months.
Congressional races
U.S. House of Representatives
District 1 – Hamilton (part), Warren
Democratic: Greg Landsman (i)
Republican: Orlando Sonza
District 2 – Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton
Democratic: Samantha Meadows
Republican: David Taylor
Independent write-in: Alexander Schrank
District 3 – Franklin (part)
Democratic: Joyce Beatty (i)
Republican: Michael Young
District 4 – Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Champaign, Delaware (part), Hardin, Logan, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Shelby (part), Union, Wyandot (part)
Democratic: Tamie Wilson
Republican: Jim Jordan (i)
District 5 – Crawford, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lorain, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Van Wert, Wyandot (part), Wood (part)
Democratic: Keith Mundy
Republican: Bob Latta (i)
District 6 – Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson, Mahoning, Monroe, Noble, Stark (part), Tuscarawas (part), Washington
Democratic: Michael Kripchak
Republican: Michael Rulli (i)
District 7 – Cuyahoga (part), Holmes (part), Medina, Wayne
Democratic: Matthew Diemer
Republican: Max Miller (i)
Independent: Dennis J. Kucinich
District 8 – Butler, Darke, Hamilton (part), Miami (part), Preble
Democratic: Vanessa Enoch
Republican: Warren Davidson (i)
District 9 – Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Williams, Wood (part)
Democratic: Marcy Kaptur (i)
Republican: Derek Merrin
Libertarian: Tom Pruss
District 10 – Clark (part), Greene, Montgomery
Democratic: Amy Cox
Republican: Michael Turner (i)
Independent: Michael Harbaugh
District 11 – Cuyahoga (part)
Democratic: Shontel Brown (i)
Republican: Alan Rapoport
Independent: Sean Freeman
Independent write-ins: Tracy DeForde, Christopher Zelonish
District 12 – Athens, Coshocton, Delaware (part), Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes (part), Knox, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Tuscarawas (part)
Democratic: Jerrad Christian
Republican: Troy Balderson (i)
District 13 – Stark (part), Summit
Democratic: Emilia Sykes (i)
Republican: Kevin Coughlin
District 14 – Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage, Trumbull
Democratic: Brian Kenderes
Republican: Dave Joyce (i)
District 15 – Clark (part), Fayette (part), Franklin (part), Madison, Miami (part), Shelby (part)
Democratic: Adam Miller
Republican: Mike Carey (i)
