BOWLING GREEN — Early in-person voting is under way at the Wood County Board of Elections, One Courthouse Square in Bowling Green, and the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election ballot features a three-way race for county commissioner, two contested judicial seats and two countywide levy renewals.
For county commissioner for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, Republican Ryan E. Lee and Democrat Brenna Reynolds are joined by independent Joseph R. DeMare. For county auditor, Republican Matthew R. Oestreich, who has served in the auditor’s office for more than 25 years, faces Democrat Mark Wongrowski for the term beginning March 8, 2027.
Two countywide renewals headline the issues. The Wood County Committee on Aging levy — 1 mill for five years, commencing in 2026 — is estimated to collect $3,730,978 a year, about $23 per $100,000 of market value, for senior citizen services and facilities. The Wood County District Public Library renewal — 0.8 mill for six years, commencing in 2027 — is estimated to collect $1,212,284 a year, about $18 per $100,000. The library says the levy, first approved in 2010, accounts for about 38 percent of its tax revenue and is not a new tax.
The judicial races give voters two head-to-head choices. Paul A. Dobson and Joel M. Kuhlman, both nonpartisan, contest the Court of Common Pleas seat for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and Megan E. Newlove and Doug Ruck contest the Probate Court seat beginning Feb. 9, 2027. Township questions include an additional 3.5-mill Perrysburg Township fire and EMS levy, estimated at $2,158,487 a year — about $123 per $100,000 — for five years.
Representing the county, Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Latta faces Democrat Brian A. Shaver and Libertarian Michael J. Veloff in the 5th Congressional District, while part of the county votes in the 9th District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur faces Republican Derek Merrin. State House races include the 75th District, where Republican Haraz N. Ghanbari faces Democrat Richard J. Rettig, and two 6th District Court of Appeals seats are contested.
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 of state (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 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: Mbrickn, CC BY-SA 4.0