With early voting underway statewide, the Dayton area is on track to see a record number of votes cast. And many Miami Valley polling sites are already seeing long lines compared to the last presidential election.
Despite her age group being extra high-risk for serious illness from COVID-19, 72-year-old retired West Carrollton teacher Sue Kallmeyer, who has a family member that contracted and recovered from the virus, voted in person in Montgomery County.
Kallmeyer says the polling place felt safer than she expected it might.
“People were wearing a mask just like they were supposed to and there were no people intimidating others that I heard at all," she says, "and it was like this excitement inside, like, oh, this is so great, we are all doing this together -- separately but together, you know?”
Kallmeyer says voting always brings her joy. She's urging her friends and family, regardless of political affiliation, to vote in person if they feel comfortable doing so to help avoid a drawn-out vote count in November.
Ohio reports more than eight million voter registrations this year -- more than in any year since 2008.
