The Fayette County Board of Elections welcomed more than 87 early and absentee voters on the first day of early voting Tuesday.
The local BOE, located at 135 S. Main St. in Washington C.H., will be open for in-person absentee voting for the Nov. 3 general election beginning now until Oct. 26, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The Board of Election will not be open on Monday, Oct. 12 in observation of Columbus Day.
“We are really excited about the turn-out so far for the first day,” said Board of Elections Director Jamie Brooks. “We got 71 absentee ballots sent out, and it’s been really nice to see people come out for early voting. This should be a fun election. But we want to make sure that nobody comes out Monday thinking they can vote, because we won’t be here!”
Starting Oct. 26, the hours will extend to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Friday, Oct. 30. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the BOE will be open for voting from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, Nov. 1 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.. The last day for early voting is Monday, Nov. 2, and the BOE will be open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
All voters who are in line at closing time will be allowed to vote.
The local ballot will include several contested races, including the Washington Court House City Council, village offices and township offices.
In the City of Washington C.H., incumbents Jimmy D. Chrisman and Steven R. Jennings will run for city council along with challengers Trent Dye, Kendra M. Redd-Hernandez and Anthony Jay Yahn. Three will be elected from that group of five. Ben Roby, the current city council chairman, is not seeking another term.
With three spots to fill, three are running for positions on the Washington City Schools Board of Education. Incumbents N. Craig Copas and Jennifer Lynch as well as newcomer James A. Teeters are all running. Incumbent Mark Chrisman is not running again, according to the board of elections.
With two spots open, only two candidates are running for the Miami Trace Local Schools Board of Education: incumbents Charlie Andrews and Bruce Kirkpatrick.
In the Village of Jeffersonville, Bob Kinzer will run against David J. Krupla III, the incumbent, for mayor.
In the Village of Bloomingburg, two out of a group of four will be elected to the village council. Michael S. Baker and John David Scurlock will run along with incumbents Donald L. Fleak and Virgil Jones.
One will be elected as a Jasper Township Trustee between incumbent Richard Anders and Tyler Kingery.
Two are vying for the office of Paint Township fiscal officer: incumbent Richard D. Barton and Tonya D. Fleak.
In Wayne Township, trustee James W. Cooper isn’t running for another term as trustee, however, he is running for the township’s fiscal officer position against incumbent Cindy Seaton. This leaves one trustee position open with David Batson and Jarrod Posey vying for the spot.
Along with the local races, there will be three State of Ohio ballot measures that voters will decide. Issue 1 would create a bipartisan redistricting commission to draw state legislative districts, and Issue 2 seeks to prohibit initiatives that would create market monopolies.
Voters will also decide whether or not Ohio will become the first state east of the Mississippi River to legalize marijuana. Issue 3, if approved by voters, will legalize the limited sale and use of recreational and medicinal marijuana use, and create 10 facilities with exclusive rights to commercially grow the drug.
According to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, if Issue 2 passes, it would invalidate Issue 3.
