FINDLAY, Ohio — Early in-person voting is under way at the Hancock County Board of Elections, 201 E. Lincoln Street, and Findlay-area voters preparing for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election will decide two countywide human-services levy renewals, school tax questions and a contested state representative race. The county has 60 precincts, and polls on Election Day will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Two countywide renewals anchor the local ballot, and both have drawn endorsements from the Findlay-Hancock County Alliance. The Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) seeks a renewal of its 1.3-mill levy for five years to provide continued operations and the expansion of mental health and substance abuse services. The Hancock County Agency on Aging, known as 50 North, seeks a renewal of its 1.2-mill levy for five years to continue operations and expand services to senior residents of the county.
Hancock County’s own offices are largely uncontested this cycle. According to the Board of Elections’ official November 3, 2026 general election notice, Republican Timothy K. Bechtol is the candidate for county commissioner for the term commencing Jan. 1, 2027, and Republican Charity Rauschenberg is the candidate for county auditor for the term commencing March 9, 2027. Common Pleas Judge Jonathan P. Starn and Probate/Juvenile Judge Kristen K. Johnson also appear on the ballot, along with 3rd District Court of Appeals Judge Mark C. Miller.
The contested legislative race on Hancock ballots is for Ohio House District 83, where Republican Ty Mathews faces Democrat Sheila Coressel. In Ohio Senate District 1, Republican Craig S. Riedel is unopposed, and for Congress in the 5th District, Republican incumbent Bob Latta faces Democrat Brian A. Shaver and Libertarian Michael J. Veloff.
School questions give two districts major decisions. McComb Local Schools asks a 0.25 percent income tax for a continuing period for current expenses, paired with a 6.99-mill bond issue for 37 years. North Baltimore Local Schools asks a 1 percent income tax for five years for current expenses. Hardin County’s Ada Public Library, which serves part of Hancock County, also has a 1-mill renewal levy for current expenses for five years.
Every Hancock County ballot also carries the statewide races — governor, attorney general, auditor of state, secretary of state, treasurer of state, U.S. Senate and two Ohio Supreme Court seats — plus Issue 3, the proposed constitutional amendment on photo identification for voting. Early voting follows the statewide schedule through Sunday, Nov. 1, absentee applications must be received by 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, and voted absentee ballots must reach the board, at 201 E. Lincoln Street, Rear, in Findlay, by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Photo: Purandhar Gopal Gariga, CC BY-SA 4.0