Voter turnout in the Mahoning Valley for the upcoming election should exceed 50 percent, local boards of elections directors say.

Early voting for the Nov. 8 election starts Wednesday.

Voters will come out in this election to cast ballots largely in the U.S. Senate matchup between Democrat Tim Ryan and Republican J.D. Vance and the governor’s race between incumbent Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Nan Whaley, the officials said. There also is interest in certain local races and issues, they said.

“We’ll be close to 54 percent,” said Tom McCabe, director of the Mahoning County Board of Elections. “We’re getting a lot of requests for absentee ballots. We’re seeing this statewide with high volumes of absentee requests.”

Stephanie Penrose, director of the Trumbull County Board of Elections, expects turnout to be about 55 percent though she said it could be higher.

“This will be a real busy election,” she said. “Get out there and vote, and make my projection too low.”

PAST ELECTIONS

These predictions align with the 2018 election, the last time all of the statewide executive branch seats were on the ballot as well as a contested U.S. Senate race.

Turnout that year was 53.84 percent in Trumbull and 54.72 percent in Mahoning.

In the 2014 election, the prior year with all of the statewide executive branch positions on the ballot but no Senate race, turnout in Trumbull was 40.81 percent and 41.51 percent in Mahoning.

“We’ll be more with 2018’s number because of the Senate race,” McCabe said. “The Senate race is a big draw. People also come out for the governor’s race and the statewides. There’s much more interest in the general election than in the primary.”

Penrose said the governor’s race is attracting interest because of DeWine’s re-election bid.

“There will be Republicans who defect and Democrats who cross over to support him because of the way he handled COVID,” she said. “People love him for it or hate him for it.”

Among local races of interest, McCabe cited contests for the county’s two state House seats and for state Senate.

In Trumbull County, the tax levies on the ballot, particularly for new money, also will attract voters, Penrose said.

Additional tax levies are on ballots in Bristol, Brookfield, Howland townships; the village of Newton Falls, and two in the Lakeview school district. There’s also a countywide park district additional levy.

EARLY VOTING HOURS

Early in-person voting is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday as well as Oct. 17 to 21 and Oct. 24 to 28. It is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 29, a Saturday.

It is 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.

Early voting on Nov. 5, the Saturday before the May 3 primary, is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It is 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 7.

“We’re going to have a lot of people voting early,” Penrose said.

There also could be an issue with some voters confused as the Ohio secretary of state sent all registered voters an application to cast ballots by mail that had to be submitted to county boards of elections, Penrose said.

“What we’ll get is a lot of people who didn’t realize they applied for an absentee ballot and then they’ll come out to vote,” she said.

McCabe said he expects the first few days of early voting to be busy.

“We always do very well to start,” he said. “It’s easy to vote that way and very convenient.”

The Mahoning early voting center is at Oakhill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave., Youngstown.

The Trumbull board is again renting space at a vacant building at 2911 Youngstown Warren Road SE, Warren, for its early voting center. It is next door to the board offices.

Polling locations are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

County election boards in Ohio will remain open until 9 p.m. Tuesday to allow people to register to vote in the general election. It’s the last day to register for that election for those who aren’t already registered voters.

The Trumbull office is at 2947 Youngstown Road SE, Warren.

The Mahoning office is at Oakhill Renaissance Place, 345 Oak Hill Ave., Youngstown.

To register in person, you need either your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

People also can register online at voteohio.gov, the Ohio secretary of state’s website, by Monday.

dskolnick@vindy.com

* denotes incumbents

Statewide

GOVERNOR

Mike DeWine* (R)

Nan Whaley (D)

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Dave Yost* (R)

Jeff Crossman (D)

SECRETARY OF STATE

Frank LaRose* (R)

Chelsea Clark (D)

Tore Maras

TREASURER

Robert Sprague* (R)

Scott Schertzer (D)

AUDITOR

Keith Faber* (R)

Taylor Sappington (D)

U.S. SENATE

J.D. Vance (R)

Tim Ryan (D)

SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE

Jennifer Brunner (D)

Sharon Kennedy (R)

JUSTICE (Term starts Jan. 1, 2023)

Pat Fischer* (R)

Terri Jamison (D)

JUSTICE (Term starts Jan. 2, 2023)

Pat DeWine* (R)

Marilyn Zayas (D)

State issues

ISSUE 1: Require courts, when setting the amount of bail, to consider public safety, including the seriousness of the offense as well as a person’s criminal record and the likelihood a person will return to court.

ISSUE 2: Prohibits local governments from allowing noncitizens or those who lack the qualifications of an elector to vote in local elections.

Mahoning County

6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Louis G. Lyras (D)

Bill Johnson* (R)

COMMISSIONER

Carol Rimedio-Righetti* (D)

Geno DiFabio (R)

AUDITOR

Ralph Meacham* (R)

32ND STATE SENATE

Robert F. Hagan (D)

Michael Rulli* (R)

58TH STATE HOUSE

Bruce Neff (D)

Al Cutrona* (R)

59TH STATE HOUSE

Lauren McNally (D)

Gregory A. Beight

Eric Ungaro

Cecil Monroe (write-in)

7TH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE

Gene Donofrio* (D)

Mark A. Hanni (R)

COMMON PLEAS COURT JUDGE

Anthony M. D’Apolito* (D)

JUVENILE COURT JUDGE

Theresa Dellick* (R)

COUNTY COURT JUDGE

Joe Schiavoni*

Questions and issues

MAHONING COUNTY: A 0.5-mill, 5-year renewal levy for Mahoning County Children Services for the support of children services and the care and placement of children.

MAHONING COUNTY: A 0.1-mill, 5-year renewal levy for the care and treatment of residents with tuberculosis and related diseases.

BELOIT: A 6-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time for the fire department.

BERLIN: A 4.5-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time for the fire department.

BOARDMAN: A 2.2-mill, 5-year renewal levy for fire and police services.

BOARDMAN: A 2.9-mill, 5-year renewal levy for current expenses.

CAMPBELL: A 1-percent income tax renewal for 5 years maintenance of parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities (0.25 percent) and general operation and maintenance, new equipment, extension and enlargement of municipal services and facilities and capital improvements (0.75 percent).

CANFIELD CITY: A charter amendment on term limits for council members.

CANFIELD CITY: A charter amendment to require that only residents of the city for at least one year can initiate charter amendments.

ELLSWORTH: A 5.77-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time for the fire department.

GOSHEN: A 1.3-mill, 5-year additional levy for the police department.

GREEN: A 2-mill, 5-year additional levy for the police department.

MILTON: A 3-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time for the police department.

NEW MIDDLETOWN: A 1.5-mill, 5-year additional levy for roads and bridges.

NEW MIDDLETOWN: A 2-mill, 5-year renewal levy for the police department

NEW MIDDLETOWN: A 4-mill, 5-year renewal levy for the police department.

POLAND TOWNSHIP: A 2-mill, 5-year renewal levy for current expenses.

POLAND VILLAGE: A 2-mill, 5-year renewal levy for current expenses.

POLAND VILLAGE: A 0.25-mill, 5-year renewal for the municipal forest.

SMITH: A 3-mill, 5-year additional levy for the police department.

WESTERN RESERVE JOINT FIRE DISTRICT (POLAND): A 2.75-mill additional levy for a continuing period of time.

YOUNGSTOWN: Charter amendment for term limits for city council members.

BOARDMAN SCHOOLS: A 5.9-mill, 5-year renewal levy for current expenses.

BOARDMAN SCHOOLS: A 1.6-mill renewal levy for a continuing period of time for general permanent improvements.

CANFIELD SCHOOLS: A 5.9-mill, 5-year renewal levy for current expenses.

JACKSON-MILTON SCHOOLS: A 0.9-mill, 5-year renewal levy for general permanent improvements.

LOWELLVILLE SCHOOLS: A 4-mill, 5-year additional levy for general improvements.

POLAND SCHOOLS: A 5.8-mill, 5-year renewal levy for emergency requirements.

WEST BRANCH SCHOOLS: A 0.5-percent income tax renewal for school district purposes.

Liquor options

BOARDMAN PRECINCT 2: A weekly and Sunday liquor option at 7373 Market St.

POLAND TOWNSHIP PRECINCT 2: A Sunday liquor option at Morgan Oil, 6969 Center Road.

SEBRING PRECINCT 1: A Sunday liquor option at Oregon Pub, 135 E. Oregon Ave.

YOUNGSTOWN PRECINCT 5E: A Sunday liquor option at Common Goods Studio, 2000 Canfield Road.

Trumbull County

14TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Matt Kilboy (D)

Dave Joyce* (R)

COMMISSIONER

Michael J. O’Brien (D)

Denny Malloy (R)

Randy William Pence (write-in)

AUDITOR

Tod M. Latell (D)

Martha Yoder (R)

64TH STATE HOUSE

Vince Peterson II (D)

Nick Santucci (R)

65TH STATE HOUSE

Mike Loychik* (R)

Jennifer Donnelly

11TH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS (Full term beginning Feb. 9, 2023)

Thomas R. Wright* (D)

Eugene A. Lucci (R)

COMMON PLEAS COURT JUDGE (Term begins Jan. 1, 2023)

Sean J. O’Brien (D)

COMMON PLEAS COURT JUDGE (Unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2026)

Cynthia Westcott Rice (D)

11th DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS (Unexpired term ending Feb. 8, 2025)

John J. Eklund* (R)

Questions and issues

Trumbull County — 1.5-mill, 10-year renewal levy for developmental disabilities program

Trumbull County MetroParks — 0.6-mill, 10-year additional levy for parks and recreational purposes

Bazetta — 1.5-mill, five-year renewal

Girard — 1-mill, five-year renewal for trash services

Girard — 1.1-mill, five-year renewal for trash services

Liberty — 1.5-mill, five-year renewal levy for police

Mesopotamia — 1-mill, five-year, renewal levy for current expenses

Girard City School District — 3.6-mill, 10-year renewal levy for the emergency requirements of the school district in the amount of $534,534