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    • Columbus-area voters head to polling places
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    Columbus-area voters head to polling places

    Vaseline Posted on

    Follow the events of Election Day with this live blog, updated regularly as voting progresses.

    Voters report a smooth process, but sometimes long waiting times

    Voters reported largely uneventful voting experiences Tuesday, although a few places in central Ohio saw lines that lasted more than an hour.

    Nearly all voters interviewed by The Dispatch or who responded to a Dispatch survey reported a quiet morning, although some reported long wait times.

    “The people in line were patient, they talked nicely to each other, and the poll workers were very helpful and friendly,” said one Hilliard survey participant. “I heard a lot of people thanking the poll workers.”

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

    The Madison Township voter said the vote was delayed in part because ballots were printing slowly on some machines.

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

    Otherwise, voters reported lines of only 10 minutes at the Franklin County Board of Elections office on Morse Road, which was a positive experience.

    “There was a long line, but it moved quickly,” said one voter who said they waited 20 minutes at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Annunciation. “Survey workers were pleasant and efficient!”

    How was your voting experience?

    If you go 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 go to the polls as observers

    Republicans planned to send 240 observers to Franklin County’s 302 polling places, according to Aaron Sellers, spokesman for the Franklin County Board of Elections.

    198 observers have registered for the Democrats.

    Sellers could not say how many observers there were in previous presidential elections or whether this was the highest number ever. But this is a lot, he said.

    Republicans promised months ago to recruit observers to monitor the November election.

    According to the Ohio Secretary of State, observers are not allowed to interfere with poll workers or voters. They are allowed to ‘look and inspect’, but are not allowed to touch ballots or other ‘election materials’. They cannot take photos, make videos or record audio.

    Monitors cannot enforce laws, but can report their concerns to the local election board. On election day, observers must swear to follow the law.

    Be aware of long voting lines

    Several central Ohio counties reported long lines Tuesday morning, despite heavy early voting.

    Voting at Indianola Church of Christ in the University District is generally an in-and-out experience. This year, however, voters waited nearly 25 minutes in the basement of the campus church 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 5:30 a.m., according to Bob Huffman, the polling location manager.

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

    Huffman said it was a busy morning and the four districts in the church were functioning well.

    Polling stations open

    Polls opened at 6:30 this morning, allowing millions of Ohioans to cast their votes for the president, senator, representatives and hundreds of local races across the state. The polls will remain open until 7:30 PM tonight.

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

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

    Voters will decide the fate of several central Ohio races, 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) to fund public transportation improvements known as LinkUS.

    What you need to vote

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

    • Ohio Driver’s License (The address where you are registered to vote does not need to be included.)
    • Ohio State ID Card
    • American passport or passport card
    • Military identification issued by the Ohio National Guard or the United States Government
    • US Veterans Affairs ID card
    • Interim identification form issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

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

    Watch for updates throughout the day on this live election blog.

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

    Get all the election news you need: download our mobile app

    Stay informed on election day: sign up for our email news alerts

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