Election Overview
Voting has begun for the May 8, 2018 Primary Election. Democratic, Republican and Green party voters will choose the candidates who will advance to the November General Election. There are 213 candidates running for 71 offices and judicial seats. In total, there are 37 contested races on the ballot. There is also a county-wide issue, state-wide issue, and various municipal, school and library issues on the ballot.
This should be a very exciting election because Democrats and Republicans have some very high profile candidates running for office. These include contested races for Governor, US Senate and Congress. There are Republicans, Democrats and Green party members running for State Central Committee as well as nearly 1,000 people running for Democratic County Central Committee seats.
State Issue One will appear on the ballot. The proposed constitutional amendment would change the way the state lawmakers draw Congressional district boundaries. If passed, the new political boundarymaps will be drawn following the 2020 census.
Party Affiliation
In Ohio, the type of ballot voters select in partisan primary elections determines their party affiliation. Voters have an opportunity to establish their party affiliation, change their party or become nonpartisan voters during this election. This decision should be taken seriously, as party affiliation cannot be changed again until the next partisan primary election.
Three Ways to Vote
- Vote Early at the Board of Elections (click to view early voting hours)
- Vote Early by Mail (click to request absentee ballot)
- Vote on Election Day at the Polls (click to look up polling location)
Sample Ballots Available
To prepare for the election, and/or determine which ballot you would like to choose this Primary, sample ballots are available for viewing on the board of elections website.
