Preparing for Election Day in Columbus, Ohio - Axios ColumbusLog InLog InAxios Columbus is an Axios company.

Preparing for Election Day in Columbus

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios It's finally time to head to the polls, grab an "I voted" sticker and say goodbye to this year's onslaught of political ads. Why it matters: As midterm results roll in across the country, lots of eyes will be on Ohio Tuesday. Our neck-and-neck will help decide which party holds the majority.We'll also pick our governor and state lawmakers, plus decide local issues, including suburban and a $1.5 billion in Columbus. What to know: Polls are open between 6:30am-7:30pm Tuesday. If you're in line before closing time you can still cast a ballot, even if the line is long... or you will be required to vote with a provisional ballot that must be verified later. What's more: Your legislative districts have likely changed , so there may be unfamiliar candidates on your ballot.. Our tips: ?‍ Do your homework: Read and study the local and statewide issues. Need a ride? is waiving fares Tuesday. Plan a trip at or on the . Report intimidation: Call the Ohio secretary of state (877-SOS-OHIO) or email . The U.S. Department of Justice also has a voting rights hotline (800-253-3931).Report suspected fraud, such as impersonation or duplicate voting, with . What's next: It could be a long night. We'll be following the results from the Ohio Secretary of State's Office and the Franklin County Board of Elections, but we'll know all the results by Tuesday. Of note: Results are not official until they're certified, which includes counting mail-in ballots, verifying provisional ballots and completing recounts in close calls. By state law, this must occur within 20 days of the election. By the numbers: Early in-person voting in Franklin County likely fell slightly this year when compared with the 2018 midterms.Through Sunday, with one day of early voting left, about 5.2% of registered voters cast their ballots early, a board of elections spokesperson tells Axios. In 2018, the final number was 6.1%. State of play: Early voting and absentee voting by mail are both up statewide, per . Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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