MONTGOMERY COUNTY — More than 1 million Ohioans cast early ballots statewide during the midterm election as early voting came to a close.
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Montgomery County led the local viewing area in early participation with approximately 50,000 early votes cast.
Data from the Montgomery County Board of Elections showed that 51% of those voters were non-partisan, while 49% were registered with a political party.
Other area counties also recorded early voting turnout.
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Greene County saw nearly 25,000 early voters, while Clark County and Miami County each recorded more than 15,000 early ballots.
Statewide figures reflect both in-person early voting and returned absentee ballots, compared to nearly 1.4 million early votes cast across Ohio during the 2022 midterm election.
Montgomery County voter Evan Dornbusch cast his ballot early and reflected on his political stance and the timing of his vote.
“I believe I’m a registered to one party or the other, but you know as time goes on I don’t really identify with one or really either party,” Dornbusch said.
He emphasized the significance of the election.
“Every election is important. They say each one’s more important than the last. This one, you know, things are just a little too wild,” he said.
He noted that casting a ballot ahead of time avoids potential scheduling conflicts.
“Not that it’s a chore that needs to be done, but you know in case something comes up or an emergency happens, make sure to have it already under my belt,” Dornbusch said.
Early voters Devon and Chynne Bolden highlighted the convenience of voting ahead of time and the need for voter awareness.
“For us voting earlier just helps us feel secure, helps us to feel like we’re able to get everything done,” Devon Bolden said.
Chynne Bolden emphasized that voters should research the candidates and issues before casting their ballots.
“An uninformed voter is still going to vote in a way that may not support how they actually feel or what they actually believe,” Chynne said. She added, “I think when we want to see change, we’re hungry for something different.”
Early voting across Ohio concluded on Sunday.
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