Early voting surges in Southwest Ohio

Early voting figures released on November 2, 2026, show a sharp rise in in-person turnout across Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky compared to the 2022 midterms.

Hamilton County elections director Sherry Poland reported that approximately 77,000 residents voted early in person, setting a record for a midterm election. Poland noted that the county has 616,000 registered voters, a figure she described as slightly high due to delayed removal of voters who moved away. She projects an overall turnout of about 50 percent, which she considers standard for a midterm.

In Butler County, unofficial results indicate a nearly 30 percent increase in early voting compared to 2022. Board of Elections deputy director Eric Corbin stated that in-person early voting rose by 91 percent, while mail-in ballots decreased by 28 percent. Corbin said the county is already at 23 percent of its projected 50 to 55 percent total turnout.

Warren County board of elections director Brian Sleeth reported that more than 32,000 people voted early in person, nearly double the 18,000 who did so in 2022. Sleeth noted that the county was 200 voters away from matching the highest single-day Sunday turnout from the 2024 presidential election. Mail-in ballots dropped from nearly 24,000 in 2022 to just over 17,000 this year. Sleeth advised voters to check their licenses, citing instances of people leaving the line to renew expired IDs.

Clermont County deputy director of elections Chris Dennison said more than 19,000 voters cast early in-person ballots, a 123 percent increase over the 8,500 who voted early in 2022. Mail ballots issued this year totaled just under 14,000, down from approximately 18,000 in 2022. Dennison predicted overall turnout could reach 65 percent, compared to the usual 55 percent.

In Northern Kentucky, Boone County clerk Justin Criegler said early voting reached presidential election levels. About 10.1 percent of registered voters in Boone County voted early, either by mail or in person. Criegler stated that clerks statewide are reporting higher numbers than in past midterms.

Kenton County clerk Gabrielle Summe said early voting numbers are up, though voter registration remains similar to 2022. She expects total voter participation to be higher than in previous midterms. Campbell County clerk Jim Luersen reported 8,042 early voters this year, compared to 5,163 in 2022. Luersen said this represents about 10 percent of registered voters.

Polls in Kentucky counties will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Day. Hamilton County polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters in all mentioned counties can find their specific polling locations on the respective board of elections websites.