Morrow County Board of Elections (BOE) Director Penny Porter announced hours for early in-person voting beginning Oct. 11 for the 2023 general election on Nov. 7.
The last day for voter registration will be Tuesday, Nov. 10. There is a voter registration card online that voters can fill out and send to the BOE. Voters can also register at the BOE office Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The last day to register is Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In-person voting at the BOE office, located at 619 W. Marion Road in Mount Gilead, will be Monday-Friday on Oct. 11-27 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, hours will be extended from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hours on Wednesday-Friday on Nov. 1-3 are from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, hours are from 1-5 p.m.
Early in-person voting ends on Nov. 5. Porter said voting on Election Day will only be at voters’ polling locations on Nov. 7 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sample ballots are online for voters at https://boe.morrowcountyohio.gov.
State, county, and local issues for voters
Porter noted there are two state issues and one county issue on the ballot. Issue 1 is an amendment relating to abortion and other reproductive decisions. The first paragraph on the ballot states, “The proposed amendment would establish in the Constitution of the State of Ohio an individual right to one’s own medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion.”
Issue 2 is a proposed law to commercialize, regulate, and tax the adult use of cannabis. It is to enact Chapter 3780 of the Ohio Revised Code. The first paragraph on the ballot states the law would “define adult-use cannabis to mean marijuana as defined in Section 3719.1 and establish the Division of Cannabis Control within the Department of Commerce.”
The county levy is a replacement for the Morrow County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Whetstone for 3 mills. The ballot states this amounts to $105 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value. It would first be due in 2024.
There are 13 township and school levies up for renewal during this election along with two replacement levies, three additional levies, and one zoning levy for Franklin Township.
Local candidates for mayor, township trustee and school board
There will be mayor and village council seats up for election this year along with school board and township trustee seats. Some have only one candidate for the position, while others have several candidates.
The village of Cardington has Dale Doty and Troy Ruehrmund running for mayor with three running for two open village council seats. The council candidates are Steve Burton, Quinn Maceyko and Dianne Van Houten.
The mayoral race in Mount Gilead has incumbent Mayor Donna Carver running against Chad Swank. Mount Gilead Council candidates include Mark Phillips, Christopher E. Sherbourne and Monica Swank. The three are running for two council seats.
Most of the township trustee full-term candidates are running unopposed. Three exceptions are Bennington Township with Steve Lewis and Stephen L. Serio vying for one seat. In Congress Township, Jonathan L. Bosh and Dan Beal are vying for one seat. Troy Township has five candidates: Michael W. Heston, Edward Huvler, Kyle Schroemer and John Teaters. Bennington Township has two candidates — Shelly Adkins and Jill R. Hunter — running for the position of fiscal officer.
The Cardington-Lincoln School District has five candidates running for three positions on the board. They are Matthew C. Clinger, Chad Holt, Sarah A. Struck, Tiffani Susi and Angela Watkins. Matthew Longsdorf is the only candidate running for the unexpired Cardington-Lincoln Board of Education term that expires on Dec. 31, 2025.
Alberta Stojkovic is a correspondent for the Morrow County Sentinel.
