Primary election Tuesday

Mar. 18—JEFFERSON — While the presidential nominations for both parties have been wrapped up, there are still a number of races and issues to be decided on Tuesday's primary ballot.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office.

The most familiar thing on the ballot for most will be the presidential election. However, Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured all of the delegates necessary for nomination.

That being said, GOP voters will still have a significant statewide primary to draw them to the polls, the three-way fight for the Republican nomination in Ohio's senate race. Matt Dolan, Frank LaRose and Bernie Moreno are facing off to see who will get the GOP nomination, and with it, the chance to face off against Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown in November.

Closer to home, incumbent U.S. Representative Dave Joyce, a Republican whose 14th district includes all of Ashtabula County, is facing a pair of primary opponents, Elayne Cross and Kenneth Polke.

For the Ohio 32nd state senate seat, incumbent Republican Sandra O'Brien is facing a primary challenge from current 65th District Representative Mike Loychik, who chose not to seek re-election in his Ohio House district and instead is running against O'Brien. The winner will face Democrat Michael Shrodek in November.

Republicans David Thomas and Laurie Magyar are seeking the nomination to fill Loychik's current seat, with no Democrats having filed in the race.

For the county Clerk of Courts seat, Democrats Stephanie Stoltz and Jodi Thurber are seeking the party's nomination to run against incumbent April Daniels in the general election.

There are also a number of issues on the ballot in areas around the county.

The largest of those is the Buckeye Local Schools' second attempt to secure a bond for the construction of new schools, with a 8.9 mill, 37 year bond, and a .5 mill continuing permanent improvement levy on the ballot.

Voters in the Northeast Joint Fire District, comprised of Kingsville, Sheffield and Monroe townships, will vote on a five mill levy to fund the district's operations, also the second time the levy will be before voters.

However, the levy has been reduced since November due to new property valuations, and existing levies for the three fire departments will cease collection, Karl Brunell, chair of the district board, said previously.

Geneva-on-the-Lake voters will also be voting on a 3.2 mill safety services levy, after a similar levy was rejected by voters in November.

The Ashtabula Area City Schools is seeking a new, continuing 2.9 mill levy to pay for current expenses.

The Kingsville Public Library is seeking a renewal and increase of an operating expenses levy to 2.5 mills, for 10 years.

Geneva Township is taking a second swing at a new two mill, five year fire levy.

Voters in Windsor Township will decide on the replacement of a two mill, five year operating expenses levy.

Renewal levies will also be on the ballot for Ashtabula city police, Ashtabula city roads and bridges, Denmark Township roads and bridges, Geneva Township roads and bridges, Lenox Township permanent improvements, Plymouth Township permanent improvements, Geneva Area City Schools permanent improvements, and the Rock Creek Public Library operating expenses.