Live coverage: Northeast Ohioans cast their ballots in the 2024 general election
Follow along for live coverage of the 2024 general election. We'll have updates from polling locations across Northeast Ohio throughout the day as well as coverage of results through the night.
Cuyahoga County voters pass Issue 55, unofficial results show
With half the votes counted, Issue 55 seems to have passed by a 3-to-1 margin. It increases the cigarette tax that funds the arts in Cuyahoga County.
The tax will jump from 30-cents-per-pack to 70-cents. Voters first passed the tax in 2006, but revenue has dropped since then by about half as fewer people light up.
The arts cigarette tax was set to expire in 2027. It’s unrelated to the “sin tax” on both alcohol and cigarettes, which funded the construction of sports venues.
Ideastream Public Media receives a portion of its funding from CAC and also contributed to the Issue 55 campaign.
CMSD levy passes, unofficial results show
With about half of precincts reporting in Cleveland, the Cleveland Teachers Union is calling the race, saying the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s levy and bond issue has passed.
The levy and bond issue will fund the districts’ operations and hold off drastic cuts and prevent the district from running out of money by the end of the next year.
The school district has said even with the levy being approved, it will still need to cut back on its operations after years of enrollment declines.
The bond issue was a renewal, meant to fund new school facilities.
Ohioans strike down Issue 1
The Associated Press has called the race for Ohio Issue 1.
With 90% of votes in, the majority, 54.1%, said no to the effort to put a citizen panel in charge of state legislative and congressional redistricting plans, according to Associated Press results.
Ohio Sec. of State Frank LaRose acknowledged the measure's failure on X:
When Ohioans heard the truth about Issue 1, they delivered a resounding NO to gerrymandering. This was a dishonest, dark money driven, foreign national funded political power grab from the start, and the outcome is proof that David can beat Goliath and truth always prevails.
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) November 6, 2024
Summit County BOE anticipates delayed results
The Summit County Board of Elections anticipates a delay in results due to a high number of absentee ballots turned in on Tuesday.
More than 9,000 absentee ballots were submitted Tuesday, according to Bill Rich, chair of the board of elections.
Republican congressional candidate Kevin Coughlin wrapped up his campaign watch party around 11 p.m. while awaiting more results.
"Unfortunately, what it means for us is this could be hours tonight," he said. "This is going to be a very, very close election. It's going to come down to it. There's a lot of factors that are going to come into it. I don't think it's going to get resolved at a reasonable time."
Coughlin is running to unseat first term Democrat Rep. Emilia Sykes in the 13th congressional district.
Trump wins Ohio
Republican Donald Trump carried Ohio for a third time on Tuesday, defeating Democratic nominee Kamala Harris to capture the state’s 17 electoral votes.
Support for the former president helped turn Ohio from a presidential bellwether to reliably Republican in recent years. Ohio voters supported him by wide margins in 2016 and 2020, and they delivered for him again this year.
No Republican has reached the White House without carrying Ohio. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win the presidency without winning Ohio since John F. Kennedy in 1960.
The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 9:08 p.m. EST.
Westlake voters focus on presidential race
Voters in Westlake were also motivated by the presidential race Tuesday.
“Not getting Trump into the White House again," was Jeff Hughes' reason for voting.
"It’s as simple as that," he said, "Protecting women’s rights. Making sure we have some normalcy in our country again.”
Varno Harris, 59, voted at the Westlake Board of Education, where he said crowds seemed larger than usual, but his wait wasn't long. The presidential ticket was also top of mind for him because he said he feels like more is at stake.
"At one point, I had red hats. I’m scared to wear red hats now. I want to get back to wearing red hats!” Harris added.
Karen Burgbacher and her daughter, Alexis, voted at the Westlake Recreation Center for one reason only.
"I wanted to vote for Donald Trump, and hopefully he’s going do what he’s supposed to do — what he says he’s going to do," Karen Burgbacher said.
Alexis, who voted for the first time, had the same singular focus.
“Voting for Donald Trump,” she said, calling the experience “scary.”
LIVE: Election results for president and Ohio's Senate race
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Cuyahoga County voters express support for Issue 55
Voters in Cuyahoga County are deciding Tuesday whether to increase the cigarette tax that funds arts nonprofits.
A 30-cent-per-pack tax was approved in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This year’s Issue 55 would increase that to 70 cents.
“It’s a good one,” said Jonathan Krantz, a voter in Solon. “We need less people to buy cigarettes.”
His daughter, Rachel, was also voting at the same time.
“I hope it will be a deterrent for the young people, so they don’t start smoking in the first place,” she said.
Nearby, a voter who wished to remain anonymous said that as a Republican, she generally does not support many taxes. But as an ex-smoker, she supported Issue 55.
Outside of Solon City Hall, Rona Brody, of Moreland Hills, was distributing Democratic sample ballots. A longtime political volunteer, she estimated she sent about 100,000 texts this year to potential voters. She also went door-to-door, canvassing in the Pittsburgh suburbs.
“I had one guy who was undecided, and he couldn’t tell me,” she said. “I did help him get his cat, because his cat escaped from the house. When I handed him his cat back… I said, ‘In fact, I’m a childless cat lady!’”
Ideastream Public Media receives some funding generated by the cigarette tax, and also contributed to the effort to support Issue 55.
A third of Ohio voters cast their ballots early
More than 31% of Ohioans voted early, but many more headed to the polls on Election Day to decide some key races. Among them: U.S. president, senator, U.S. House, Ohio Supreme Court and state legislative races. There's also the statewide Issue 1, which would change the redistricting process to take the map-drawing pen away from politicians and hand it to a panel of citizens.
It’s the first presidential election for Sam Reitz of Delaware County. He said many of his friends are also voting too.
“I think social media plays a big part in that definitely has been publicized a lot, not just the presidential election, but also the Senate and House races as well,” Reitz said.
Also casting a ballot at the Delaware Township Hall just south of the city of Delaware was Lee Ann Davenport. She said she was voting on Election Day because efforts to vote early were unsuccessful.
“I did try to go vote early. And then when I got there the whole system crashed,” Davenport said. “So here I am on the actual day, and I think it is better on the actual day anyway.”
The vote by mail deadline is 7:30 p.m. today
As the clock winds down on the 2024 election, some voters might be wondering if they can still submit their absentee ballots. The answer is yes. You just need to drop your ballot off at your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday for your vote to be counted.
Below is a sampling of counties from Northeast Ohio, along with specific requirements.
Ashland County:
Either the voter or a family member may deliver a completed ballot, which must be sealed in the completed and signed identification envelope provided with the ballot, to the board of elections office at 110 Cottage Street no later than 7:30 p.m. today.
According to the Ashland County Board of Elections, no voted ballot may be returned to a board of elections by fax or e-mail. If a voted ballot is returned by fax or e-mail, it will not be accepted, processed, or counted.
Cuyahoga County:
According to the Cuyahoga Board of Elections, vote by mail ballots can still be submitted today. These ballots must be returned to the board of elections by 7:30 today at either:
- the 24 hour drop box, 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, or
- the ballot collection site, 3100 Chester Avenue, Cleveland
Vote by mail ballots returned to either location do not require postage.
Lake County:
Absentee ballots may be returned to the Lake County Board of Elections office at 105 Main Street, Painesville, by 7:30 p.m. today. A 24-hour drop box is also located outside on the west side of the Board of Elections office.
Lorain County:
According to the Lorain County Board of Elections, ballots must be received at the board of elections office at 1985 North Ridge Road East, Lorain, by no later than 7:30 p.m. today.
Portage County:
The Portage County Board of Elections requires ballots be returned to its office at 449 South Meridian Street, Ravenna, by 7:30 p.m. today.
Richland County:
According to the Richland County Board of Elections, voters can drop off their ballots at either the board of elections office at 1495 West Longview Avenue, Mansfield, or leave them in the on-site drop box by 7:30 p.m. today.
The board of elections adds that only the voter can drop their own ballot in the drop box. If an individual is returning a ballot for a family member or a disabled voter, they must first complete a Form 12-P Absentee Ballot Delivery Attestation.
Also, if a voter requested an absentee ballot but decides to go to the polls on election day, they will be required to vote using a provisional ballot. Voters are urged not to take their absentee ballots to the polls as poll workers cannot accept them.
Summit County:
A voter or one of the voter's relatives are able to submit their absentee ballot by dropping it off at the Summit County Board of Elections Absentee Department at 470 Grant Street, Akron, by 7:30 p.m. today.
Stark County:
A voter or a close relative of theirs may submit their absentee ballot by dropping it off to the Stark County Board of Elections at 3525 Regent Avenue NE, Canton, no later than 7:30 p.m. today.
According to the Stark Board of Electors, acceptable relatives of the voter include: A spouse of the elector, the voter, the father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the elector.
Wayne County:
The Wayne County Board of Electors requires absentee ballots to be returned to the board of elections offices at 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, by 7:30 p.m. today.
Feeling the stress of Election Day? Here are a few healthy ways to cope
Here’s a bipartisan sentiment: The election has Americans of both parties stressed out.
Eight in 10 Republicans and Democrats put politics on their list of biggest stressors, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.
That sentiment may be hitting an election-cycle high today, as we close out what has perhaps been the most dramatic presidential race in modern history.
From the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump this summer, to Vice President Harris taking over the Democratic ticket – and the fear that political polarization and threats of violence will continue after the election – a lot has happened this year.
People are now more aware about these events and the rest of the world, contributing to what they are stressed about, Dr. Joshua Stein, a psychiatrist from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, told "Morning Edition."
The unofficial voter turnout in Cuyahoga County is updating in real time
So far, of those who have voted in Cuyahoga County, more than half (54%) voted in person on Tuesday, while 46% voted early or via absentee ballot.
Within the 967 precincts, almost 500,000 residents have voted.
The top cities in the county for voters have been Bay Village, Independence, and Mayfield Village. The lowest turnout has been East Cleveland, Cleveland and Linndale, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website.
During the 2020 presidential election, more than 600,000 Cuyahoga County residents voted, which was 70% of eligible voters. The majority of Cuyahoga voters voted for President Joe Biden at 66% while Donald Trump received 32% of votes.
Northeast Ohio voters are split on Issue 1
Voters are split about Issue 1 in Ohio.
If the proposed amendment passes, a 15-member group comprised of five Republicans, five Democrats and five independents will decide the lines drawn for congressional districts in Ohio. If the amendment fails to pass, politicians will continue to craft district maps.
Valerie Francesangeli of Hinckley voted no on Issue 1 at Our Savior Church on Tuesday because the issue takes power control away from the people to decide fair voting districts, she said. She doesn't trust the process laid out in the ballot issue for selecting the 15-member group that will draw the districts.
“We don’t elect them, there’s somebody arbitrarily [who] picks these people so this way if our representatives that we vote into office deal with the maps we can vote them out if we don't like what they do,” she said.
Cleveland resident Adam Cahill voted yes on Issue 1 Tuesday because the people should decide on how districts are made up, not politicians, he said.
“There’s districts that are connected by a river or look like a duck, I don't think that's really how it should be going,” Cahill said. “You want to have the voters pick the people that represent them, not the other way around and, I think that’s probably been going on a long time.”
Issue 1 is part of why the ballot is so long.
Young voters could have a crucial role in deciding the next president
Four years ago, voters under 30 turned out in historically high numbers compared to past presidential elections and handily sided with President Biden over former President Donald Trump.
Though voters under 30 have historically turned out at much lower rates than older generations, they could make a difference on the margins in key swing states decided by just a few percentage points.
Vice President Harris is trying to repeat Biden’s success with these key voters. Trump, however, is also trying to win with young people.
This year, there are an estimated 8 million people newly eligible to vote in their first presidential race. Plus, Gen Z and millennials as a whole — those under 43 — are expected to make up nearly half the electorate this year, according to the U.S. Census.
While both Trump and Harris are vying for this group, the stakes are higher for Harris, who likely needs to win at least 60% of the voting bloc.
Read more here.
Voting residents in Cleveland can ride for free
The Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit Authority is offering free bus, rail and paratransit rides today to encourage voters to get to the polls.
The free rides benefit voters such as Lizzy Armbruster, who commuted more than 45 minutes to get to her polling location on Cleveland’s West Side after a recent move.
“It’s very convenient because I usually ride the Rapid and the bus every day,” Armbruster said. “So, I usually have to pay $5 a day so this is a nice little plus.”
Armbruster, a 27-year-old chef, is voting to protect her rights.
“As a woman it’s important to vote just to make sure you keep that right,” she said
The greater Cleveland transit authority will offer free rides until 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Power outages affect polling sites in Parma and elsewhere
Power outages were reported across Cuyahoga County on Tuesday, affecting homes and businesses in Brook Park, Strongsville, East Cleveland and Independence.
As a result, at least one polling place, the Elks Lodge in Parma, lost electricity — but voting was not disrupted, according to Richard Wojtala, voting location manager at the location.
"We actually kept the line going really nice," Wojtala said.
He said the location's EPB's (electronic pollbooks) were on battery back up, as were ballot scanning machines.
"So everybody just got out flashlights and they went ahead and they just voted anyway," Wojtala said.
Voting machines are backed up with battery power across the county, said Mike West, manager of community outreach for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
“We don’t need power to vote,” West told Ideastream Public Media. Even if outages last for a very long time, poll site managers can switch to paper ballots, he said.
First Energy reported that equipment at a substation was being repaired to address the problem. Power at most locations was restored by 2 p.m.
A current map of First Energy outages can be found here.
Unofficial results will be tallied soon after the polls close
Election results from Ohio will start to be tallied soon after the polls close at 7:30 p.m. The tally will include both national and local races.
If you plan to vote in person today, you’ll need to go to your polling location, which can be found on your county’s board of elections website.
In-person early voters cast their ballots at their county’s board of elections. Absentee ballots can be dropped off today at boards of elections until 7:30 p.m.
Polls close at 7:30 PM.
— Summit County BOE (@SummitCountyBOE) November 5, 2024
Unofficial results post @ https://t.co/w5GL2wrpUO beginning by 8 PM.
Absentee results report first. Poll totals are added as staff returns ballots to our office this evening.
The report's title changes to “FINAL UNOFFICIAL” when night's count has ended. pic.twitter.com/qn2aTzD0cF
Donald Trump is on voters' minds in Brecksville
Opposing viewpoints at a polling place in Brecksville led one resident to rip a Donald Trump sign out of the ground, while another resident blasted a homemade Trump theme song from his car radio.
The Trump sign — which also endorsed Republican State Senator Jerry Cirino — was later reinstated by a campaigner offering sample Republican ballots to waiting voters outside the Brecksville Community Center.
Brecksville, in southern Cuyahoga County, was about evenly split geographically between Republicans and Democrats in the 2020 presidential election, according to a map from Cleveland.com.
Jeff Firestone, a Brecksville independent voter, is voting straight Republican ticket this year because guaranteeing free speech is his top issue, he said.
“Since COVID, the censorship that happened to Twitter and the suppression of voices on Facebook, as far as I’m concerned, I have not heard anything where Trump ... is anything but for pro-speech,” Firestone said.
Here are the acceptable types of ID when voting today in Ohio
Voters turning out Tuesday must have proper forms of identification to cast their ballots. Acceptable forms of ID include an Ohio driver's license (a suspended license is OK, but not an expired one); a state ID card; U.S. passport; interim ID issued from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles; a U.S. Military ID; Ohio National Guard ID; or a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID.
Digital versions or copies of ID's are not acceptable, except for the veteran ID card issued by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs as it is only issued digitally.
Under a 2023 change to the law, the following are no longer considered valid forms of ID:
- Utility bills
- Bank statements
- Government checks
- Paychecks
- Other government documents
- Conceal carry permits
Cost of groceries and housing, immigration, crime top concerns in 2024 election
Northeast Ohioans have differing views on politics. But there’s broad agreement among the region’s voters when it comes to concerns over the rising costs of living, according to a poll commissioned by Ideastream Public Media, WKYC and Signal Ohio.
Ahead of today's election, 64% of these voters said they’re worried about the economy, with nearly 45% saying they’re “very” or “extremely” worried. More than half of respondents said the economy — more than every other possible topic combined — would be the most likely issue to shape their presidential vote.
During election day Tuesday, Shaker Heights resident Hynda Ockner cast her ballot along with her daughter. Her priorities are women's rights and the economy, she said.
“I’ve been voting a long time, and this [election] seems instrumental in keeping democracy alive,” Ockner said.
Immigration ranked as the second-most pressing issue in the poll.
Doug Firzlaff cast his ballot for Donald Trump on Tuesday. First Amendment rights and border security are the issues that concern him the most.
"I feel like there's a definitive right decision, not that I'm the smartest guy in the room, but I feel pretty strongly about my decision," Firzlaff said.
Read more from the pre-election poll here.
Need a ride to the polls? Get paired with Northeast Ohio drivers, other transportation resources
Getting a ride to the polls can be an obstacle for some voters like older adults, those with disabilities or people without vehicles and public transit options. A 2016 Harvard study found that 14% of nonvoters said transportation was a "major factor" in why they did not vote in that election.
Voters in Northeast Ohio have options, though, if they need a hand getting to the polls.
National Democratic organization Rideshare2Vote operates in Butler, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, Summit and Warren counties. Other organizations, like the nonpartisan Cleveland-based VoterDrive, also pairs voters in need of a ride with local drivers.
Today, Rideshare apps like Lyft and Uber are offering 50% discounts with codes available on their websites.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will also offer free rides on buses, rail and paratransit from 3 a.m. this morning until 3 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6. Akron Metro RTA is also providing free bus rides.
Read more here.
Save the selfies for later: Some Election Day do's and don'ts at the polls
There are no standard federal regulations on Election Day for what voters can and cannot do at a polling location. Each state has its own rules. Ideastream Public Media looked into what Ohioans need to know before heading to the polls.
The words "selfie" or "photo" are not defined in state voting laws, but it’s generally not a good idea to take a selfie, particularly, one that includes your ballot. A 1997 state law prohibits showing anyone a completed ballot. Section 3599.20 of the Ohio Revised Code states:
“No person shall attempt to induce an elector to show how the elector marked the elector's ballot at an election; or, being an elector, allow the elector's ballot to be seen by another, except as provided by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code."
A photo of a completed ballot may break this rule, although there are no records showing that anyone has been charged in such a case in Ohio.
Read more about polling place rules here: Election Day do's and don'ts at Ohio's polling sites.
Do I need an ID? Where's my polling place? Here's what those voting today need to know
Polls have officially opened in Ohio for Election Day voting and will close at 7:30 p.m. today.
Your polling location varies depending on where you live, and it might not be the closest polling location to you. Find your official polling location on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.
You can prepare by viewing a sample of your ballot.
The State of Ohio requires voters bring an acceptable form of identification to the polls in order to vote. Acceptable forms of ID must include an expiration date that has not passed, a photo of the voter and the voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the poll list or in the poll book. Several types of acceptable ID include:
- Ohio driver's license;
- State of Ohio ID card;
- Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV;
- A U.S. passport;
- A U.S. passport card;
- U.S. military ID card;
- Ohio National Guard ID card; or
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card
Here's some more helpful information on voting today: How to vote in the Nov. 5, 2024, general election.