MEDINA — Early in-person voting is under way in Medina County ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election, and this fall the sharpest choices on the ballot are not tax questions but a full slate of contested courthouse races, with Republicans and Democrats squaring off for commissioner, auditor, recorder and two common pleas judgeships.
For county commissioner, Republican Julie A. McNabb faces Democrat Cheryl Minichiello. For county auditor, Republican Rick Dumperth faces Democrat Carol Brenstuhl. The ballot also carries a race for an unexpired term as county recorder ending Dec. 31, 2028, between Republican Sharon A. Ray and Democrat Bradford Scott Quade.
Two seats on the Medina County Court of Common Pleas are contested: Matthew K. Razavi faces Ben Fuchs for a general division term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and Kevin W. Dunn faces Mike Conway for the juvenile and probate judgeship. The 9th District Court of Appeals ballot is also competitive, with Democrat Betty Sutton facing Republican Cynthia Curtin for a full term and Republican Nathan Manning facing Democrat Tavia Galonski for an unexpired term ending in 2029.
In the district races, Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller faces Democrat Brian Poindexter in the 7th Congressional District. The 66th Ohio House District has a three-way race among Republican Sean M. Hutson, Democrat Chris Nardo and Libertarian Justin P. Peroli.
Tax questions vary by community, and some of the biggest are in Wadsworth. City voters there decide an ambulance and emergency medical services levy combining a 3-mill renewal with a 1-mill increase, for a total of 4 mills estimated at $2,523,100 a year and about $92 per $100,000 of market value for five years beginning in 2027, alongside a fire levy that renews at a reduced 0.5 mill, estimated at $315,700 a year and $11 per $100,000. Wadsworth City School District voters also decide a proposed 1 percent earned income tax for five years beginning Jan. 1, 2027, to fund current expenses.
Statewide, Medina County voters will help choose Ohio’s next governor between Republicans Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert A. McColley and Democrats Amy Acton and David Pepper, and decide the U.S. Senate race for an unexpired term between Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown. Also on every Ohio ballot are races for attorney general, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer, two Ohio Supreme Court seats, and State Issue 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to present photo identification in order to vote.
Early in-person voting continues at the Medina County Board of Elections, 3800 Stonegate Dr., Suite C, in Medina, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 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 to request an absentee ballot; 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 through 30; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, when polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and in-person voters must show an accepted photo ID.
Photo: Brenda, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons