Election 2022: More ballots cast in Ohio than 2018 midterms

Ohio voters continue to cast ballots at a faster pace than four years ago with only three days of advance voting remaining before the midterm election concludes Tuesday.

Overall, nearly 32,000 more advance votes and absentee ballot requests have come this year compared to the 2018 midterms, with most of those coming from in-person advance voting, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

More than 265,000 have already voted in person, and 56.5% of voters who asked for absentee ballot have already turned it in.

Advance voting throughout the state continues Saturday, Sunday and Monday, while absentee mail-in votes must be postmarked by Monday or returned to local boards of election in person by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

“While Ohio law allows voters to wait until this Saturday to request an absentee ballot, that just doesn’t give our bipartisan county boards of elections much time for their security check, processing, and delivery of the ballot to the voter’s mailbox before Election Day,” LaRose said. “With that in mind, voters should be focusing right now on utilizing Ohio’s extended evening and weekend early voting options or casting their ballot on Election Day so they can be sure their voice is heard.”

The ballot contains many local issues, as well as state House and Senate races and U.S. House of Representative races across the state. Two statewide races, however, could be key.

As previously reported by The Center Square, a recent Baldwin Wallace University poll shows Democrat Tim Ryan leading 50.2% to 46% over Republican J.D. Vance in a race for the U.S. Senate. Ryan, in the U.S. House since 2003, and Vance are trying to secure the seat occupied by outgoing Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who was first elected in 2010.

The same poll shows Republican Gov. Mike DeWine with nearly a 20-point lead over Democratic challenger Nan Whaley.