Montgomery County Is Voting Early at Nearly Three Times Its 2022 Pace

About 16,000 people had voted in person by Thursday, and Ohio passed 1 million early votes Saturday. Here's what's left before Nov. 3.

By Richthrax · Oct. 25, 2026

Montgomery County voters are casting early ballots far faster than in the last two governor's races.

About 16,000 people had voted early in person at the Board of Elections as of Thursday, Oct. 22, the Dayton Daily News reported. That is up nearly 162% from the same point in 2022, when about 6,100 had voted, and up 280% from 2018, when about 4,200 had. Deputy Director Guy Aber said turnout is "tracking higher."

Voting by mail is moving the other way. About 6,500 of the more than 28,000 absentee ballots the county has sent out had come back by Oct. 22, a return rate of 23%, and mail voting is down from past elections, the paper reported.

Statewide, more than 1 million Ohioans had voted early as of Saturday morning, Oct. 24, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office: about 400,000 unaffiliated voters, more than 300,000 Democrats and about 268,000 Republicans. On Oct. 13 the statewide total was 228,470.

Source: Montgomery County Board of Elections via the Dayton Daily News, Oct. 23.

Among Montgomery County's in-person early voters so far, about 50% are registered Democrats, 17% Republicans and 33% unaffiliated, the paper reported. Party registration in Ohio is based on which primary a voter last chose, so it doesn't say how anyone voted this fall.

Both campaigns are pushing early votes here

Both sides spent the weekend urging people not to wait.

Republican candidates for governor and Senate brought a bus tour to Izzy's in Monroe on Saturday morning. Vivek Ramaswamy told supporters to "knock on those doors," the Dayton Daily News reported, and Sen. Jon Husted asked whether anyone could name one thing Sherrod Brown had done to improve their life.

The same day, former President Barack Obama rallied with Brown and Amy Acton in Cleveland. Acton and Brown have scheduled a Dayton event for Monday, Oct. 26, at 6:15 p.m., Dayton 24/7 Now reported; the venue had not been announced as of Sunday.

What's on the ballot

• Governor: Amy Acton (D), Vivek Ramaswamy (R), Don Kissick (Libertarian).
• U.S. Senate: Sherrod Brown (D), Jon Husted (R).
• Issue 3, statewide: would write a photo ID requirement for in-person voting into the Ohio Constitution. Ohio law already requires photo ID.
• Issue 4, Dayton Public Schools: a 7-mill continuing levy, the district's first new tax request since 2008. Read our explainer.

How and when to vote

Early voting is at the Montgomery County Board of Elections, 451 W. Third St., Dayton, with free parking. Call (937) 225-5656 with questions. Remaining hours, from the Secretary of State's statewide schedule:

Deadlines that matter:

• Tuesday, Oct. 27, 8:30 p.m.: the Board of Elections must receive your application for an absentee ballot.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.: your absentee ballot must be in the board's hands, by mail or dropped off, when polls close, according to the Secretary of State. The county board's website still describes an older rule that counted ballots postmarked the day before. Go by the state's rule: if you're voting by mail, return it early or drop it off at 451 W. Third St.
• Bring ID to vote in person: an Ohio driver's license or state ID, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a military ID.

Not sure where your precinct is or whether your registration is current? Look it up at voteohio.gov.