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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York;VALUE=DATE:20260505
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URL:https://coolcleveland.com/events/primary-elections-are-this-week-be-su
 re-to-vote/
SUMMARY:Primary Elections Are This Week—Be Sure to Vote
DESCRIPTION:[caption id="attachment_511223" align="alignnone" width="700"] 
 Photo by Karen Kasler[/caption]\nTue 5/5 @ 6:30AM-7:30PM\nOhio’s primary
  elections are coming up on Tuesday May 5\, and if you’ve opted not to v
 ote early at your Board of Elections or to send for a mail-in ballot\, you
 ’ll want to circle the date and make sure you check with your county boa
 rd of elections to make sure you know where your polling place is. Voting 
 hours are 6:30am-7:30pm\, and if you’re in line at 7:30\, they are requi
 red to let you vote.\nSince this is a primary\, you’ll be asked if you w
 ant a Republican or Democratic ballot — and you can choose either. If th
 ere are no issues on the ballot in your area — and there mostly aren’t
  — then obviously there is no “issues only” ballot option.\nWhile th
 e marquee races for races such as U.S. Senate\, governor and other statewi
 de races mostly have one prominent candidate and one or more obscure chall
 engers — the Democratic race for Secretary of State is an exception with
  candidates Bryan Hambley and Allison Russo both running high-profile camp
 aigns — many of the downballot races for offices such as state senator a
 nd state representative\, and county council have multiple candidates. It
 ’s a good idea to go to the board of elections website\, put in your add
 ress\, and find your ballot\, so you can look up who all those unfamiliar 
 names are. Most of the judicial primary races also have no challenger. Onl
 y one Democratic judge has drawn a primary challenger — the well-respect
 ed William Vodrey\, who has another “Gallagher” tossed at him (seven u
 nrelated Gallaghers already sit on the Cuyahoga County bench — in hopes 
 that voters will choose a name\, not a candidate’s qualifications.\nWhil
 e you might not have strong feelings about these mostly uncompetitive prim
 ary races\, there’s one compelling reason to vote. Our current Secretary
  of State Frank LaRose has increased voter role purges\, and Republicans i
 n Columbus think this is a great idea and hope to do them more frequently 
 and extensively. That’s a good reason to vote in November for either Ham
 bley or Russo\, depending on who wins the primary: Republican Robert Sprag
 ue will almost certainly continue LaRose’s drive to eliminate voters fro
 m the rolls under the guise of “voter list integrity. Such purges are of
 ten based on how recently a voter has voted\, so it’s a good idea just t
 o show up and mark your territory as an active voter.\nIf you’re in Cuya
 hoga County\, go here to find your polling place and ballot. In other coun
 ties\, just put in your county name and “board of elections.” We need 
 more participation: get in the habit!\nboe.cuyahogacounty.gov
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