Clermont County is gearing up for a busy primary season. On Tuesday, May 5, voters will head to the polls for Ohio’s primary, facing a ballot that features a contested county-commissioner race, a fight over the 2nd Congressional District and several high-profile statewide contests. Local campaigns are in the home stretch as voter registration and absentee deadlines creep closer, and the next month will decide who represents the county on the fall ballot.
According to the Clermont Chamber of Commerce, voter registration for the May primary closes on April 6, early in-person voting begins April 7, and absentee ballot applications are due April 28. Sample ballots and polling locations are available on the county’s VoterView site, where May 5 is listed as the upcoming election date. Clermont County VoterView also lets residents pull up the exact ballot for their precinct before they ever set foot in a voting booth.
Local Races to Watch
The most closely watched contest in the county is the Clermont County commissioner line, where incumbent Claire Corcoran is listed alongside Republican Luiza B. McQueen and Democrats Fred Lewton and Joe Wessels, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. That race will help determine local budget priorities and economic policy for the county. Several other countywide offices, including auditor, appear on the ballot with contested primaries in some precincts, giving local voters plenty to sort through.
Congressional Spotlight: Ohio's 2nd District
Clermont County voters will also help shape the 2nd Congressional District primary. On the Republican side, incumbent Rep. David J. Taylor is listed with GOP challenger Bob Carr. Democrats Jennifer Mazzuckelli and Todd Wilson are vying for their party’s nod. The full slate set to appear on the May 5 ballot is listed on BallotReady, which offers a precinct-level lookup so voters can confirm exactly who will be next to their name.
Statewide Contests on Your Ballot
The May ballot also features statewide primaries, including the governor’s race and the U.S. Senate contest. Per the Ohio Secretary of State, certified statewide tickets include Democrats such as Amy Acton and Republicans including Vivek Ramaswamy, Heather Hill and Casey Putsch for governor, and the U.S. Senate field lists Sen. Sherrod Brown and Jon Husted. Those marquee races could have down-ballot effects that matter to Clermont voters this fall.
How to Vote in Clermont County
Most contests on the May 5 primary ballot are “vote for 1” in each race, so it is worth checking your precinct sample ballot to see which offices apply to you. The county voter guide lists the Board of Elections drop-off point at 76 S. Riverside Drive in Batavia for in-person absentee returns. For a precinct-specific sample ballot and absentee tracking, voters can use the county’s VoterView portal.
If you are unsure who is on your personal ballot, you can start with the county-level roundup from the Cincinnati Enquirer, then plug your address into VoterView before heading to the polls on May 5. Local turnout can tip tight primaries, and the next four weeks are when both campaigns and voters make their case.
