Election Day Tuesday

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DARKE COUNTY — To the relief of many, Election Day is almost here.

On November 8, millions of Americans, or at least those citizens who haven’t taken advantage of early voting or absentee ballots, will go to the polls, tasked with choosing candidates for federal, state and local offices.

In Ohio, federal office seekers include candidates running for president, vice president, senator and representative.

Among major party hopefuls running for president and vice president are Democrats Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine and Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka are the candidates running on the Green Party ticket. Gary Johnson and William Weld represent the Libertarians, while Richard Duncan and Ricky Johnson are listed on the ballot as “Non-party” candidates.

Voters may also cast a vote for a write-in candidate, but there are limits on whether or not those votes will be tallied.

In Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, incumbent Sen. Rob Portman, Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Ted Strickland, the Buckeye State’s former governor.

Other senate candidates include the Green Party’s Joseph R. DeMare and Non-party hopefuls Tom Conors and Scott Rupert.

In Ohio’s 8th U.S. House District, Democrat Steve Fought is seeking to unseat Republican Rep. Warren Davidson, who won a special election in June to fill the unexpired term of former Rep. John Boehner and is seeking a full, two-year term of his own. The Green Party candidate is Derrick James Hendricks.

Darke County voters will see a large selection of state-level candidates on the ballot, although some are running unopposed, such as Republican Matt Huffman, vying for the Ohio Senate’s 12th District seat, and Stephen Huffman, also a Republican, who will retain his spot representing Ohio’s 80th House District.

Term-limited Ohio Senate President Keith Faber, a Republican, will face off against Democrat Ed Huff Jr. to replace longtime Rep. Jim Buchy as the representative of Ohio’s 84th House District.

County voters will see non-party aligned hopefuls listed for state court positions.

Maureen O’Connor is running unopposed for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, while Michael T. Hall, Mike Tucker and Mary E. Donovan are unopposed for seats on the 2nd District Court of Appeals.

For a justice position on the Ohio Supreme Court, voters will get to choose between Pat Fischer and John P. O’Donnell for one seat and Cynthia Rice versus Pat DeWine for another.

Four candidates are hoping to occupy a 1st District seat on the State Board of Education: Tanyce J. Addison, Linda Haycock, Martha A. Manchester, and Lilli Vitale.

While much of the public’s attention is fixated on the contest between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and to a lesser degree the Senate and House races, Darke County residents will be asked to cast votes for local candidates.

Only two countywide races are contested this year.

Democrat Leon Rogers is facing Republican Matt Aultman in the race to fill a seat on the Darke County Board of Commissioners. One will replace current Commissioner Diane Delaplane who is not running for reelection.

In the contest for the county’s Prosecuting Attorney, incumbent Prosecutor R. Kelly Ormsby, a Republican, is facing a challenge from Greenville attorney David A. Rohr, running as an Independent candidate.

Voters will also see a number of uncontested local candidates running for public office. All are incumbents. These include:

  • Democrat Scott J. Zumbrink, County Treasurer
  • Republican Jonathan P. Hein, Common Pleas Court Judge
  • Republican Michael W. Rhoades, County Commissioner
  • Republican Cindy Pike, County Clerk of Courts
  • Republican Toby L. Spencer, County Sheriff
  • Democrat Jim Surber, County Engineer
  • Republican Linda Stachler, County Recorder
  • Republican Timothy Kathman, County Coroner

All voters must bring identification to vote in person. Suitable forms of ID include an unexpired Ohio driver’s license or ID; an unexpired photo ID issued by Ohio or the U.S. government that includes one’s name and current address; a military ID; a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check that includes one’s name and current address; or any government document that shows one’s name and address.

Voters unable to provide an acceptable form of ID can vote using a provisional ballot.

Polling places in Darke County will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8. Absentee ballots are due at the Board of Elections by Saturday, Nov. 5, at noon. For information on where to vote, go to the Darke County Board of Elections website at electionsonthe.net/oh/darke/ or contact the board by email at [email protected] or call 937-548-1835.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/11/web1_Decision-2016-1.jpgAdvocate graphic
Voters heading to the polls

By Erik Martin

[email protected]

Presidential Write-in Candidates

Not happy with the presidential candidates on the ballot? Thinking of writing in your favorite cartoon character? Think again.

Ohio won’t individually tally votes for write-in candidates for presidential and vice president unless they’ve successfully filled out paperwork with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office. The write-in hopefuls are:

James Jerome Bell/Scheem Milton Hempstead

Michael Bickelmeyer/Robert Young

Darrell L. Castle/Scott N. Bradley

Cherunda Fox/Roger Kushner

Ben Hartnell/Dave Marshall

Tom Hoefling/Steve Schulin

Bruce E. Jaynes/Roger W. Stewart

Chris Keniston/Deacon Taylor

Barry Kirschner/Rick Menefield

Laurence Kotlikoff/Edward Leamer

Joseph Maldonado/Douglas Terranova

Michael Andrew Maturen/Juan Antonio Muñoz

Evan McMullin/Nathan Johnson

Monica Moorehead/Lamont Lilly

Joe Schriner/Joe Moreaux

Mike Smith/Daniel White

Josiah R. Stroh/Paul Callahan

Douglas W. Thomson/Thomas A. Ducro, Jr.

The writer may be reached at 937-569-4314. Join the conversation and get updates on Facebook search Darke County Sports or Advocate 360. For more features online go to dailyadvocate.com

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