The 2022 midterm election season is in full swing, with early voting already underway in parts of the Tri-State. Meanwhile, undecided voters and die-hard Election Day-ballot-casters are looking ahead to Tuesday, Nov. 8.
No matter which way you vote, here’s everything you should know before grabbing your ID and heading out the door.
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Ohio
Kentucky
IndianaOhio
Who am I voting for?
Come November, Ohio voters will choose their preferred candidate in a slate of races, from governor on down to auditor. In many polls, Republicans hold the lead in all of them — including the one between incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and his Democratic challenger Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton.
Ohioans who are holding out hope the candidates for governor will appear on-stage together at the same time to answer questions will be disappointed to learn there are no statewide debates scheduled at this point.
LISTEN: The economy, abortion and other key issues in the race for Ohio governor
In alphabetical order, these are the candidates on your ballot in the various races.
Governor
- Mike DeWine (Republican)
- Tim Grady (Independent)
- Craig Patton (Independent; no website)
- Renea Turner (Independent)
- Marshall Usher (Independent)
- Nan Whaley (Democrat)
U.S. Senate
The race for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Rob Portman is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched — not just in Ohio, but across the nation, as its result could determine the Senate's balance of power.
Polls have candidates Tim Ryan (D) and J.D. Vance (R) in a dead heat.
- Tim Ryan (Democrat)
- J.D. Vance (Republican)
LISTEN: Ohio is home to one of the country's most pivotal Senate races. Here how it's shaping up
Attorney General
- Jeffery A. Crossman (Democrat)
- David Yost (Republican)
Auditor
- Keith Faber (Republican)
- Taylor Sappington (Democrat)
Secretary of State
While incumbent Republican Frank LaRose is favored to win, the race to be Ohio's next secretary of state got a jolt when Terpsehore Maras, a 2020 election denier, was added to the ballot. She was initially ruled ineligibleover questions about the validity of her petition signatures.
This decision was later overturned by the Ohio Supreme Court, which reinstated her place on the ballot.
- Chelsea Clark (Democrat)
- Frank LaRose (Republican)
- Terpsehore Maras (Independent)
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice
The race for a new chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and the re-election bids of two Republican justices may be the most impactful races on the ballot for Ohio voters this year.
Depending on how they turn out, they could shift the balance of power on issues such as abortion, redistricting and the regulation of Ohio businesses.
Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor — a Republican who has sided with the court's three Democrats in rejecting GOP redistricting maps — can’t run for re-election because of Ohio's age limit rule for judges.
Two sitting justices are facing each other to take O'Connor's place at the head of the seven-member court. They are Republican Sharon Kennedy of Butler County and Democrat Jennifer Brunner of Columbus, a former Ohio Secretary of State.
If Brunner is elected chief justice, her seat on the court would be open and Gov. Mike DeWine could appoint her replacement.
- Jennifer Brunner (Democrat)
- Sharon L. Kennedy (Republican)
Ohio Supreme Court Justice
Two sitting Republicans — Patrick DeWine, son of Ohio governor Mike DeWine; and Pat Fischer of Hamilton County — face opposition from Democrats Marilyn Zayas of Cincinnati and Terri Jameson of Franklin County. Both Democrats are currently state appeals court judges.
- Pat DeWine (Republican)
- Pat Fischer (Republican)
- Terri Jamison (Democrat)
- Marilyn Zayas (Democrat)
Treasurer
- Scott Schertzer (Democrat)
- Robert Sprague (Republican)
Are there any issues on my ballot?
Voters will decide on two statewide issues this November:
- Issue 1 “requires Ohio courts to consider factors like public safety when setting the amount of bail," and;
- Issue 2, if passed, would prohibit local governments from allowing non-citizens to vote in any local or state elections.
RELATED: Analysis: With Issue 2, Republicans seem to go to war with Yellow Springs
House races
Quite a few House seats are up for grabs this year — click here for the full list. To see which candidates you'll be voting on, take a look at your sample ballot, as some candidates were moved around in the state's recent redistricting process.
RELATED: A timeline of Ohio's redistricting saga
If you live in other counties in Ohio, click on your county on this map to see your sample ballot.
Am I registered to vote?
Check your voter registration status by clicking on your county below.
Head to the Secretary of State’s website if you have not yet registered to vote. Remember, the voter registration deadline was Oct. 11. If you register after that date, you will not be able to vote for this year’s midterms.
Where do I vote?
Find your polling location by clicking on your county below.
For Ohio residents in other counties, find your polling location by entering your information here.
When do I vote?
Early in-person voting begins Oct. 12 and ends Nov. 7. Click here to see what hours you can go.
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, polls in Ohio are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Remember that if you are in line at 7:30 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
Do I need ID?
Yes, but not necessarily a picture ID. To get an absentee ballot or cast your vote in person, Ohio law requires some form of acceptable identification, which includes:
- An unexpired Ohio driver’s license or state ID card with present or former address, as long as your present residential address is in the official list of registered voters for that precinct
- A military ID
- A photo ID issued by the United States government or the State of Ohio, that contains your name and current address, and that has not passed its expiration
- An original or copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other document with your name and present address ("current" means in the last 12 months).
Check the entire list of acceptable IDs here.
If you do not bring an acceptable form of ID, or if your eligibility is in question because you moved or changed your name but didn't update your registration, you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
Voting provisionally simply means that election officials need to double-check your eligibility. To do so, you must visit the your county's board of elections within one week after Election Day to provide that identification, so your vote can be counted in the final election totals. Election officials are also required to attempt to contact voters by mail, phone or email to resolve any issues with their ballots.
Kentucky
This year, Kentuckians will weigh in on races for U.S. Senate, Congress, the legislature, state Supreme Court and a variety of local elections. Voters will also decide two proposed amendments to the state constitution — one allowing the legislature to call itself into session, and the other on whether abortion is a protected right under the Kentucky constitution.
Who am I Voting for?
U.S. Senate
Republican incumbent Rand Paul is running for his third six-year term. He recently opted out of a debate with his main opponent, Democrat Charles Booker.
The election is a contest of stark opposites, NPR member station WFPL reports, with Paul’s libertarian-leaning stance of limited government and less spending pitted against Booker’s progressive policy platform he dubs the “Kentucky New Deal.”
Below is a list of the candidates in alphabetical order.
- Charles Booker (Democrat)
- Rand Paul (Republican)
- Charles Lee Thomason (Independent)
- Billy Ray Wilson (Independent)
4th District Race
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie currently represents District 4, which stretches from northern Kentucky and parts of northeastern Kentucky south to Oldham, Shelby, and Spencer counties near Louisville. He has represented the district since 2012 and has won re-election four times. Biotech executive Matt Lehman, who lives in Newport, is looking to change who represents the district. He is campaigning to become the first Democrat to represent the district since 2004. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order below.
- Ethan Osborne (Independent)
- Matthew Lehman (Democratic)
- Thomas Massie(Republican)
What’s on my ballot?
Voters will be able to vote on two issues.
- Issue 1 allows “the legislature to call itself into special session.”
- Issue 2 "amends the Kentucky Constitution to state that it does not provide a right to an abortion or public abortion funding.”
See a sample ballot by clicking the county you live in below.
For Kentucky residents in other counties, click on your county in this list.
Am I registered to vote?
Check your voter registration status through the Kentucky State Board of Elections’ website.
If you have not yet registered to vote, you can register online. If you didn’t do so by Oct. 11 at 4 p.m., you will not be eligible to vote in the midterm elections.
Where do I vote?
All Kentucky residents can find their polling place by filling out their information here.
When do I vote?
Early voting is available in Kentucky but only Nov. 3-5. Click here to see what time you can go.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Election Day. If you are in line at 6 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
Do I need ID?
Yes. Kentucky recently changed its law to require photo identification in order to vote. All voters must produce identification at the polling place. Get further information regarding valid forms of ID by watching this video from the Kentucky Board of Elections.
Indiana
Who am I voting for?
U.S. Senate
Incumbent Republican Senator Todd Young faces Democrat Thomas McDermott and Libertarian candidate James Sceniak. All three say they want to focus on inflation if elected. They all have the same initial solution: reduce federal funding.
- Antonio Alvarez (Political Synergist; no website)
- Danny Niederberger (Independent)
- David Storer (Independent; no website)
- Haneefah Khaaliq (Independent)
- James Sceniak (Libertarian)
- Phillip Beachy (Independent; no website)
- Thomas Baer (Independent; no website)
- Thomas McDermott (Democrat)
- Todd Young (Republican)
Treasurer
Current Republican Treasurer Kelly Mitchell, who is term-limited, will not be able to run for a third consecutive term. Voters will elect a new treasurer to replace her. The candidates are listed below in alphabetical order.
- Daniel Elliot (Republican)
- Jessica McClellan (Democrat)
Secretary of State
Current Secretary of State, Republican Holli Sullivan, lost her chance forre-election to Diego Morales, a former aide to then-Gov. Mike Pence, at the Republican State convention in June. Morales, a known election denier, has previously expressed concerns about election security, wanting to prevent voting among non-citizens. Currently, Morales faces criticism of fraudas records show he voted in one county in 2018 while claiming a property tax credit in another county. He declined to comment on the situation. The candidates are listed below in alphabetical order.
- Andrew Straw(Disability)
- David Wetterer (Green)
- Destiny Scott Wells (Democrat)
- Diego Morales (Republican)
- Jeff Maurer (Libertarian)
Auditor
- ZeNai Brooks (Democrat)
- Tera Klutz (Republican)
- John Schick (Libertarian; no website)
What’s on my ballot?
Dearborn and other Indiana residents can see sample ballots by entering their address here.
Am I registered to vote?
Indiana residents can register to vote, check their voter registration, and find their polling location on Indiana’s Voter Portal. The voter registration deadline was Oct. 11, so if you weren't registered by then, you will not be able to vote.
When do I vote?
Early voting is available from Oct. 12 to Nov. 7 at 12 p.m. Click here to check what hours you can vote.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Election Day. If you are in line at 6 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
Do I need ID?
Indiana requires residents to present a government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot. In most cases, an Indiana driver's license, Indiana photo ID card, Military ID, or U.S. Passport will do.
A student ID from an Indiana state school may also be used, but only if it meets certain criteria. You can read more about that those rules on the Indiana Secretary of State's website.
If you forget or do not have an ID, you may cast a provisional ballot. If you cast a provisional ballot, you have until noon 10 days after the election to follow up with the county election board and either provide the necessary documentation or affirm one of the law’s exemptions applies to you.
