Columbus area voters head to polling places

Follow Election Day events with this live blog, updated regularly as voting continues.

Voters report a smooth process, but sometimes long waiting times

Voters reported largely uneventful election results Tuesday, although there were lines that lasted longer than an hour at some locations in central Ohio.

Nearly all voters interviewed by The Dispatch or who participated in a Dispatch poll reported an uneventful morning, but some reported long wait times.

“The people in line were patient, they had nice conversations with each other, and the poll workers were very helpful and friendly,” said one Hilliard poll respondent. “I heard a lot of people thanking the poll workers.”

The respondent indicated the wait was more than an hour, which was also confirmed by respondents in Westerville, Trinity United Methodist Church in Grandview and Madison Township.

The Madison Township voter said voting was delayed in part because ballots were slow to print on some machines.

“Otherwise it was uneventful. I was the 138th person to vote around 8:15 p.m. and there was a first-time voter in the hour I was there.”

Otherwise, voters reported only 10-minute lines at the Franklin County Board of Elections office on Morse Road and a positive experience.

“There was a long line, but it moved quickly,” said one voter, who said he waited 20 minutes outside the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation. “The poll workers were friendly and efficient!”

How was your voting experience?

As you head to the polls today, The Dispatch would like to hear from you how it went.

How long was the line? Were there any problems? Fill out our form below to answer these questions and more. We may use your answers in our reporting.

Republicans and Democrats take part in the elections as observers

According to Franklin County Board of Elections spokesman Aaron Sellers, Republicans planned to send 240 observers to Franklin County's 302 polling locations.

198 observers have registered for the Democrats.

Sellers could not say how many observers have attended previous presidential elections or whether that is the highest number of all observers. But that's a lot, he said.

Republicans promised months ago to recruit poll watchers to monitor this November election.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State's Office, observers are not permitted to interfere with poll workers or voters. They may “observe and inspect” ballots or other “election materials,” but may not touch them. You cannot take photos, videos or audio recordings.

Observers cannot enforce laws but can report concerns to the local elections board. On election day, observers must swear that they will abide by the law.

Watch out for long voting lines

Several counties in central Ohio reported long lines Tuesday morning, despite numerous early votes.

Voting at the Indianola Church of Christ in the University District is typically a back-and-forth experience. This year, however, voters strolled around the basement of the church on campus for nearly 25 minutes, waiting for a machine. A mix of university students and local residents waited patiently to cast their votes. One of the poll workers told those waiting that they could use a paper ballot instead of waiting for a machine, but everyone remained seated.

About 30 people were in line at Victory Hill Church in Greenfield Township in Fairfield County when the polls opened at 6:30 a.m., according to polling place manager Bob Huffman.

“It’s great to see people exercising their rights,” he said.

Huffman said the morning was busy, with the church's four districts doing well.

Polls open

The election opened at 6:30 a.m. this morning, allowing millions of Ohioans to cast their votes for President, Senator, Representatives and hundreds of local precincts across the state. Polling stations will remain open until 7:30 p.m. this evening.

In addition to the presidential contest between former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, Ohioans will decide between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican businessman Bernie Moreno for the U.S. Senate, in what is the most expensive non-presidential race in U.S. history.

Other statewide issues include three Ohio Supreme Court justice seats and Issue 1, which would change the way maps for congressional and statehouse districts are drawn.

Voters will decide the fate of several races in central Ohio, including a proposal to increase the sales tax by half a percent (from 0.5% to 1.0%) in the area served by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). increase to fund mass transit improvements, known as LinkUS.

What you need to vote

Voting rules have changed to require Ohioans to show valid photo ID at the polls. Acceptable IDs are:

Ohio driver's license (It is not necessary to provide the address where you are registered to vote.)
Ohio State ID Card
US passport or passport card
Military ID issued by the Ohio National Guard or the U.S. Government
US Veterans Affairs ID card
Provisional identification form from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (BMV)

Those without valid ID will be asked to vote with a provisional ballot.

Stay tuned for updates to this live election blog throughout the day.

Dispatch reporters Mark Williams, Bob Vitale, Sheridan Hendrix, Belinda Paschal, Sophia Veneziano and Barbara Perenic contributed to this report.

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