BUCYRUS — Early in-person voting is under way at the Crawford County Board of Elections, 112 E. Mansfield St., Suite A in Bucyrus, and Crawford County voters heading to the polls for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election will find a ballot with no countywide levy on it — instead, school income taxes, ambulance and fire renewals, and city questions lead the local lineup.
The biggest tax questions come from three school districts. Wynford Local Schools is asking for a 1.75% earned income tax for 10 years, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, for current expenses. Crestline Exempted Village Schools seeks a 0.75% earned income tax for a continuing period, also beginning Jan. 1, 2027. Ridgedale Local Schools is asking voters to renew a fixed-sum levy of $575,034, averaging 2.44 mills — about $85 per $100,000 of property value — for five years commencing in 2027.
Emergency services renewals appear across the county. Life First Ambulance District is seeking renewal of a 2-mill levy raising an estimated $761,676 a year for five years, and the Crawford County West Joint Ambulance District seeks renewal of 1.5 mills, an estimated $233,702 a year, or about $33 per $100,000 of value, for five years. The Wyandot East Fire District renewal is 2.5 mills, an estimated $76,990 a year, for five years. Township voters will also see fire renewals in Chatfield Township (1.8 mills, an estimated $264,305 a year, five years), Dallas Township (2.5 mills, $26,823, five years) and Lykens Township (2 mills for fire equipment, $79,458, three years), an additional 1.75-mill levy for current expenses in Holmes Township ($108,881 a year, about $61 per $100,000), and a 1-mill road levy renewal in Bucyrus Township.
In the cities, Bucyrus voters will decide a 0.100% income tax levy for four years beginning Jan. 1, 2027, dedicated to city parks — Aumiller Park, Lions Field Park, Harmon Park, Picking Park and Schines Art Park — including the swimming pool and park facilities. Galion voters face two charter questions: whether at-large council members’ terms should lengthen from two years to four, and whether the council president’s term should likewise go from two years to four. A Sunday liquor option for the L.O.O.M. Lodge at 520 S. Market St. in Galion also appears on that precinct’s ballot.
At the top of the county offices, Sean Leuthold is the only candidate listed for judge of the Court of Common Pleas, general division. With no countywide tax issue on the ballot, the school, township and city questions above are where Crawford County’s Nov. 3 decisions will be made.
Statewide, Ohio voters will choose a governor — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, Democrat Amy Acton or Libertarian Don Kissick — and decide a U.S. Senate race between Republican Jon Husted, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Libertarian William B. Redpath. Also on the ballot are attorney general (Keith Faber vs. John J. Kulewicz), auditor of state (Frank LaRose vs. Annette Blackwell), secretary of state (Robert Sprague vs. Allison Russo), treasurer (Jay Edwards vs. Seth Walsh), two Ohio Supreme Court seats, and State Issue 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require photo identification to vote.
Early in-person voting continues at the board of elections office in Bucyrus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Oct. 23, then expands: Saturday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Oct. 28–30 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 1 from 1 to 5 p.m. Absentee ballot applications are due by 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, and voted absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must show photo identification, and polls will be open Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Photo: OHWiki, via Wikimedia Commons