Long lines greet voters across Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND – It's here. Election Day 2024. Everything from the Senate election to taxes to school board matters is up for grabs.

When do the polling stations open?

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m

Later you can CLICK HERE for the election results, which we will publish as soon as they are available this evening.

11:54 a.m. update

Currently, voter turnout in Cuyahoga County is 43.6%.

10:47am update

Viewers sending messages to our newsroom reported long lines at locations throughout Northeast Ohio throughout the morning. We have a team on site investigating issues.

Yesterday we reported that Ohio is headed for what could be a record-breaking election.

Ohio is “on track” to achieve record-breaking voter turnout in the 2024 election

10:13am update

Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown voted in Cleveland this morning.

News 5

8:39 a.m. update

Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno visited a polling place in Westlake on Tuesday morning.

WEWS

8:30am update

A scanner is down at the Parma Powers Branch location, resulting in long lines.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections said voting should not be interrupted and scanners would not be required for voting.

News 5's Caitlin Hunt checked it out.

UPDATE: The scanner was repaired after four hours.

6:28am update

Voters lined up and waited for the polls to open.

WEWS

WEWS

6:09 am update

The Portage County Board of Elections announced a record voter turnout of 18,442 people.

In the 2020 election, voter turnout was 15,573.

The district expects 75% of voters to attend in person.

Senate race

Incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown faces Republican Bernie Moreno in one of the toughest races in the country.

Brown was first elected to the State House in 1974.

Moreno's message? After half a century in office, it is time for change.

“This is the closing argument. Look, the guy has been in elected office for 50 years,” Moreno said. “Eighteen campaigns, never had a job in the private sector. It's time for these career politicians to go. Bring new blood in there. People who have a new perspective. They know how to create opportunities for people.

Both men tell News 5 they are encouraged by the early voting numbers and enthusiasm for their campaigns.

Brown and Moreno make their closing arguments to Ohio voters

RELATED: Brown and Moreno make their closing arguments to Ohio voters ahead of Tuesday's election

Brown won 18 counties when he won in 2018, and Donald Trump won nine of them in 2020.

RELATED: OHIO VOTER GUIDE 2024: Everything you need to know

Problem 1

Ohioans will vote this November on Issue 1 – a redistricting proposal that could dramatically change the balance of power in the Statehouse. But there is a problem. Viewers and readers are concerned that the messages for and against the change are confusing.

Both the “yes” and “no” sides say their party would end gerrymandering.

What does a yes vote on Ohio Issue 1 mean? What does a no mean?

RELATED: What does a yes vote on Ohio Issue 1 mean? What does a no mean?

They will vote on whether Ohio should exclude politicians from the redistricting process.

Right now, Ohio lawmakers are drawing the maps — ones that directly impact them and their colleagues.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC) consists of seven agencies. Two always go to the Republicans and two to the Democrats in the Statehouse. The three remaining seats are the governor, secretary of state and comptroller.

That led to chaos in Ohio's 2022 redistricting process, when a bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court rejected seven different adopted maps on the grounds that the commission's GOP members had drawn lines to unfairly benefit their party.

Voting yes on Item 1 would create a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (OCRC) composed of Republican, Democratic and independent citizens broadly representing the state's diverse geographic areas and demographics.

It prohibits current or former politicians, political party officials, lobbyists and major political donors from serving on the commission.

It requires fair and impartial electoral districts by making it unconstitutional to create electoral districts that discriminate against or favor a political party or individual politician. The Commission is also mandated to work in an open and independent process.

The commissioners would create the maps based on federal law and also take into account past election data on partisan preferences. The commission would ensure that each district has a reasonably equal population and that communities of interest are held together.

If you vote “no” on topic 1, you would reject the independent commission’s proposal and maintain the current structure. Voting no could also mean hoping Republicans keep their word and propose a “solution” to improve the system in the coming months.

Congressional elections

US House of Representatives

District 1 – Hamilton (Part), Warren
Democratic: Greg Landsman (i)
Republican: Orlando Sonza

District 2 – Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton
Democratic: Samantha Meadows
Republican: David Taylor
Independent author: Alexander Schrank

District 3 – Franklin (part)
Democratic: Joyce Beatty (i)
Republican: Michael Young

District 4 – Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Champaign, Delaware (partial), Hardin, Logan, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Shelby (partial), Union, Wyandot (partial)
Democratic: Tamie Wilson
Republican: Jim Jordan (i)

District 5 – Crawford, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lorain, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Van Wert, Wyandot (partial), Wood (partial)
Democratic: Keith Mundy
Republican: Bob Latta (i)

District 6 – Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson, Mahoning, Monroe, Noble, Stark (partial), Tuscarawas (partial), Washington
Democratic: Michael Kripchak
Republican: Michael Rulli (i)

District 7 – Cuyahoga (partial), Holmes (partial), Medina, Wayne
Democratic: Matthew Diemer
Republican: Max Miller (i)
Independent: Dennis J. Kucinich

District 8 – Butler, Darke, Hamilton (partial), Miami (partial), Preble
Democratic: Vanessa Enoch
Republican: Warren Davidson (i)

District 9 – Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Williams, Wood (part)
Democratic: Marcy Kaptur (i)
Republican: Derek Merrin
Libertarian: Tom Pruss

District 10 – Clark (Part), Greene, Montgomery
Democratic: Amy Cox
Republican: Michael Turner (i)
Independent: Michael Harbaugh

District 11 – Cuyahoga (part)
Democratic: Shontel Brown (i)
Republican: Alan Rapoport
Independent: Sean Freeman
Independent Authors: Tracy DeForde, Christopher Zelonish

District 12 – Athens, Coshocton, Delaware (partial), Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes (partial), Knox, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Tuscarawas (partial)
Democratic: Jerrad Christian
Republican: Troy Balderson (i)

District 13 – Strong (Part), Summit
Democratic: Emilia Sykes (i)
Republican: Kevin Coughlin

District 14 – Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage, Trumbull
Democratic: Brian Kenderes
Republican: Dave Joyce (i)

District 15 – Clark (partial), Fayette (partial), Franklin (partial), Madison, Miami (partial), Shelby (partial)
Democratic: Adam Miller
Republican: Mike Carey (I)

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