By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
JEFFERSON — No shortage of candidates and issues await voters in Tuesday’s general election.
Nearly 200 office-seekers are on file with the Ashtabula County Board of Elections, along with more than 30 issues and three state initiatives.
All the activity promises plenty of activity at polling places, said Richard Hornstein, election board director. As many as 40 percent of the county’s 64,000 registered voters could do their civic duty on Tuesday, he said.
Many voters decided not to wait. The county has already received 3,600 absentee ballots, twice the number cast just two years ago, Hornstein said. A very large number of absentees have come from Conneaut, where City Council races are apparently drawing lots of attention, he said.
“We expect a heavy turnout,” he said. “Much heavier than usual.”
Besides council president and council-at-large contests in Conneaut, school board and council races in Ashtabula promise to pull in voters.
Voters will also select school board members in other districts, as well as trustees in the county’s 27 townships and council members in the seven villages. In some locations, candidates face no opposition.
County-wide issues are sponsored by Ashtabula County Mental Health (0.6 mill renewal for operating expenses); the Joint Vocational School (0.3 mill replacement for permanent improvements) and the county Senior Services levy (1 mill renewal).
The state issues are led by a measure that would amend Ohio’s constitution to allow casino gambling at locations in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and Columbus. Other state issues would rewrite rules that govern the living conditions of farm livestock and also authorize the issuance of $200 million in bonds to compensate military veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.
Some polling places in Ashtabula have been changed for this election. People who used to vote at the Edgewood Diner and Country Club Retirement Center will now cast ballots at Mt. Carmel Banquet Center, 1200 E. 21st St.. These precincts now vote at Mt. Carmel: Ashtabula City 2B, 2C and 2D; and Ashtabula Township 1, 3, 4 and 6.
