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As of Friday afternoon, 700 absentee ballots had yet to be turned in, he said. The county saw more than 4,000 absentee voters in 2015, a number he expects to beat this year.
“You’ve got a lot of hot issues on the ballot this time around,” Baker said. “Each area of the county has one each issue that people are either strongly for or against.”
Several crucial issues are on the ballot today, including a bond issue for $117 million new schools at the Northeastern Local School District and four candidates running for three open seats on the Springfield City Commission.
Voters also will cast ballots on an income tax initiative in New Carlisle that would stop the city from collecting income taxes from people who work and pay taxes elsewhere. City leaders say it could lead to a more than $1 million hit to its general fund budget but supporters say it’s unfair that they’re taxed by two cities.
RELATED: Northeastern voters to decide on new $117M schools
In 2015, Clark County saw about 40,000 voters on Election Day, Baker said. He believes the county will improve upon that number this year.
The Board of Elections was a short few poll workers but nothing like the situation in Greene County, Baker said. Once news broke of a poll worker shortage there, he said new poll workers began calling to fill vacant positions in Clark County.
As on Monday morning, about 1,400 people had voted early at the Champaign County Board of Elections, Director Meredith Bodey said — despite several important issues such as the Graham High School income tax issue and the hotly contested Urbana Locals School Board of Education race.
There are also some overlaps with districts in other counties, including Northeastern and Northwestern, she said.
Some people are also undecided about statewide issues, including Issues 1 and 2, which changes crime victim’s rights and deals with prescription drug prices for some state agencies respectively, Bodey said.
Election 2017: Find out who wants to run New Carlisle
Bodey expects to have about a 30 percent turnout today, she said.
“I hope it would be more than that but I have my doubts,” Bodey said.
The Clark County Board of Elections saw several early voters during lunch time on Monday afternoon.
Springfield resident Kenneth Brown went to the polls a day early because he works late on election day, he said. Early voting is a big convenience, Brown said.
“It really eases the strain of dealing with the unknown amount of time you’re going to have to invest (at the polls) because of the long lines,” he said.
Early voting is much easier than heading to the polls on Election Day, Springfield resident Debra Graham. She voted on Monday simply to “get it done.”
“If you want something done, you have to get out and vote,” she said. “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about anything that’s happening.”
CITY COMMISSION ELECTION PREVIEWS
4 Springfield residents to vie for 3 city commission seats
Incumbent Chilton wants to be voice for all of Springfield
Ex Springfield Superintendent Estrop sees jobs as critical to rebound
Martin wants Springfield to end drug crisis, bring more jobs
Rue wants to reverse population loss, make Springfield more attractive
YOUR ELECTION SOURCE
■ Voters guide: Find out what is on your ballot in our interactive voters guide at http://vote.springfieldnewssun.com
■ Live election results: Look for up-to-the minute election results on our website starting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
■ Speak out: Tell us what you think of the issues on the ballot on our Ohio Politics Facebook page
■ Special epaper for subscribers: Look for election coverage Wednesday morning in your electronic edition of the newspaper, along with the latest results at springfieldnewssun.com/epaper
■ Thursday newspaper: Get in-depth analysis on the key races and issues, what voters decided and how it will impact you and your wallet.
■ WHIO TV Channel 7: Watch a special edition of "WHIO Reports" this morning at 11:30.
■ Special WHIO Radio program: Listen to AM 1290 and News 95.7 WHIO Tuesday night starting at 8 for a live election special.
BY THE NUMBERS
89,000: Registered voters in Clark County.
4,000: Estimated early voters in Clark County this year.
1,400: Estimated early voted in Champaign County.
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