STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Early in-person voting is under way in Jefferson County, where voters are deciding a countywide 911 levy renewal, a contested county commissioner race and a slate of judicial seats ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election. Ballots can be cast early at the Jefferson County Board of Elections, 500 Market St., Suite 1, in Steubenville, and election officials are urging residents to review the official sample ballot before they vote, because the ballot runs two full sides.
The biggest money question countywide is Issue 9, a renewal of the county’s 1.5-mill levy for the operation of the county 9-1-1 system. The county auditor estimates the levy will collect $2,482,785 annually, at a cost of $35 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value, for five years commencing in 2027. Because it is a renewal, the tax rate does not change for property owners already paying it.
Two related service levies share the ballot. Issue 8 asks voters to renew a 1.7-mill levy for the county Board of Developmental Disabilities, supporting community programs, facilities and services; the auditor estimates it will collect $2,141,041 annually, amounting to $19 for each $100,000 of market value, for 10 years. Issues 5 and 6 are renewals of 1-mill levies for the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School, serving Jefferson, Belmont, Carroll and Harrison counties, each estimated to collect roughly $2 million annually for current expenses, equipment and building improvements over 10 years.
The most contested county race is for county commissioner, where Democrat Brent G. Nemeth faces Republican Eric Timmons for a full term beginning Jan. 1, 2027. County Auditor E. J. Conn, a Republican, is unopposed. In the courthouse races, Michelle Garcia Miller and Michael C. Bednar seek seats on the Court of Common Pleas, Frank W. Noble Jr. is on the ballot for the Probate/Juvenile Division, and Molly K. Johnson and Mark Anthony Hanni are among the candidates for the 7th District Court of Appeals.
Ballots vary by precinct below the county line. Voters in the Edison Local School District, for example, will decide Issue 4, a fixed-sum renewal levy of $1,049,150, estimated to average 1.85 mills and cost $65 for each $100,000 of market value over five years, for the district’s current expenses. Township, village and other school questions also appear in parts of the county, and the official sample ballot for each precinct is posted through the Board of Elections voter lookup.
Above the local races, Jefferson County voters are helping choose a new governor — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton lead the tickets — and a U.S. senator, with Democrat Sherrod Brown challenging Republican Jon Husted. Republican Michael A. Rulli faces Democrat Elizabeth Kirtley for Congress in the 6th District, and Republican Ron Ferguson faces Democrat Charrie L. Foglio for state representative in the 96th District. State Issue 3, on every Ohio ballot, asks whether the state constitution should require voters to present photo identification in order to vote.
Early in-person voting at the Board of Elections runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 23, then 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24; 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26; 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, which is also the deadline for absentee ballot applications to be received; 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 through Oct. 30; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at assigned precinct locations, and all absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. that day to be counted.