Ohio voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday, May 5, to cast ballots in the state’s primary elections. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. The races include contests for governor, U.S. Senate, and several congressional seats, as well as local levies.
Gubernatorial Race
The Republican gubernatorial primary features Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate, who is the front-runner with Donald Trump’s endorsement. His opponent is Casey Putsch, a business owner from northwest Ohio who positions himself as a working-class alternative. The winner will face Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee and former Ohio Department of Health director, in the November general election.
U.S. Senate and Congressional Races
In the U.S. Senate race, Republicans are seeking to unseat the last Democratic justice on the state’s Supreme Court. In Ohio’s 1st District, Democrats and Republicans are selecting their nominees to challenge Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH). The Republican candidates include Eric Conroy, endorsed by Trump, Holly Adams, and Rosemary Oglesby-Henry. The Democratic primary features Damon Lynch IV, son of civil rights activists, challenging Landsman.
Local Issues
Voters will also decide on several school and police levies. Election officials expect heavy turnout, driven by both statewide and local issues. Absentee ballots must be hand-delivered to county boards of elections by 7:30 p.m. to be counted.