Ohio polls open for midterms
Voters across Northeast Ohio cast ballots with polls closing at 7:30 p.m. local time.
By Takeshi Davidson ·
Ohio voters began casting ballots for the 2026 midterm election on Monday, with polling places across the state opening their doors for the day.
Polls will remain open until 7:30 p.m., according to state election officials. The date marks the general election for various state and federal offices.
Ideastream Public Media released a voter guide for the 22-county Northeast Ohio broadcast area to help residents find candidate information. The guide covers all contested races that were fully or partially within that region, identified after the May primary results were certified.
Staff assigned a summer cohort of interns to contact campaigns for email addresses, as candidates are not required to list them in official paperwork. In mid-July, the digital team emailed each campaign a Google form containing three key questions developed from conversations with residents at local libraries.
The team set a response deadline for the end of July and followed up with two additional emails. Editors began building the online guide in August while continuing to accept submissions from candidates who inquired about the process.
At the end of September, staff reviewed the list of candidates and called those who had not responded to check for spam filter issues or to request alternate contact information. This process ensured the guide included as many candidates as possible before print and digital deadlines.
Voters must bring acceptable identification to the polls, which must include a photo, the voter's name, and a valid expiration date. The name on the ID must substantially match the name in the poll book. Residents can locate their specific polling place on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, as the assigned location is not always the nearest one.
