Early in-person voting set to begin today
Funding measures, Dayton mayoral race among issues on ballot.
Early in-person voting begins today in Ohio for the May 4 primary and special election.
Voters in four area counties will decide 19 funding measures for schools, police and fire protection, roads and bridges, as well as for a health district and library. And due to the number of candidates, voters in Dayton and Huber Heights will have runoffs to determine which mayoral and commission candidates advance to November’s election.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley is not seeking reelection, leaving a wide-open race joined by Jeffrey Mims Jr., a current city commissioner, along with former Mayor Gary Leitzell and Rennes Bowers, a retired Dayton firefighter.
In Huber Heights, Mayor Jeff Gore is back on the ballot and challenged by two current city council members, Ed Lyons and Glenn Otto.
Dayton voters will also have a runoff election for two city commission seats sought by seven candidates. In Huber Heights, three candidates are vying for a District 3 council seat.
Though early voting turnout won’t rival last November’s numbers, those casting ballots in person at elections boards will experience very similar coronavirus precautions, including social distancing, said Jeff Rezabek, Montgomery County Board of Elections director.
“We’re not changing anything,” he said. “It will be the same protocols. We are requesting masks and we will have hand sanitizer out there.”
More than 57,000 people in Montgomery County voted in person early during last November’s election. This May, candidates or issues are on the ballot in just 181 of Montgomery County’s 360 precincts. With fewer voters, the elections board will hold early voting in a smaller room and not need to hire additional workers, Rezabek said.
“But (voters) will be on their way just as quick as last November,” Rezabek said.
Dayton voters will also have six charter amendments on the ballot that include allowing the pay of mayor and city commissioners to increase, give employees more latitude to engage in political activity and change the way police and fire recruits are selected.
Voters may also request a mail-in absentee ballot. But to avoid mail delays, voters should apply well before the noon May 1 deadline, Rezabek advises. Vote by mail absentee ballot applications are available on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website at https://www. ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/ absentee-ballot/.