MANSFIELD — Voters head to the polls across Richland County on Tuesday to decide a slate of local races, a flurry of school levies and tax issues, and pivotal state races for governor and senator.
Polls are scheduled to open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
Richland Source reporters and editors will be tracking live updates, unofficial vote tallies and local reaction throughout the evening.
Here’s what you can expect us to follow throughout the day and well into the night:
- Statewide and legislative race returns impacting the Richland County region
- Updates from local campaign headquarters
- Analysis and insight from our newsroom as numbers come in
- Richland County Commissioner: Mears vs Kaufmann
- Richland County Probate Judge: Badnell vs Franco
- Ohio House 76th District: John vs Stidam
- U.S. House 5th District: Latta vs Shaver vs Veloff
- State Issue 3
- Local Tax & School Issues: Lexington school issues, Madison school issues, City of Shelby tax issues, Village of Lexington tax issue, Plymouth/Shiloh tax issues and Madison Township tax issues.
Find all of our preview stories on the races and issues above here.
Bookmark this page and check back frequently for real-time updates as election night unfolds.
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Gas in Ontario
There were a handful of gas stations over the $4 barrier in the Mansfield area on Election Day. The Speedway in Ontario was one of them.
Highest gas price I found today
The Marathon station on Lexington Avenue was the highest gas price I ran across on Election Day in Mansfield. It was $4.39 for cash, $4.49 for credit card.
Gas Prices at Meijer
The Election Day gas prices at Meijer in Ontario are noted in the photo below.
Gas Prices at Sam’s Club
As with a number of area stations, one must be a member of Sam’s Club to fill up at the Ontario location. The price per gallon today, Election Day, was $3.85.
Lowest Gas Price I Found Today
Next up on the 10-stop gas station price comparison for Election Day is Valero on West Fourth Street just on the edge of the Mansfield-Ontario line. This was the lowest price I found today, and the station advertises it has the lowest gas prices in town.
Gas Prices
Gas prices have been a hot topic nationwide for nearly all of 2026. So, on Election Day, I decided to drive around the Mansfield-area to get a sampling of our local prices. I hit 10 gas stations. I started at Friendship on Park Avenue West. Here’s what I found:
Voting Booth
It was very quiet on Tuesday just before 1 p.m. at the voting precinct on the corner of Cook Road and Lexington Avenue. Two cars were in the north side parking lot.
Election Night Pizza matters
Voting matters. So does Election Night pizza in a newsroom.
I helped to cover my first election 46 years ago in southeast Ohio while still in college. I don’t remember who won or lost the race for county commissioner. Or any other race.
But I do remember we had great pizza. That tradition continues tonight. One of the biggest reasons I didn’t retire when I hit 65 in March is I just love Election Night pizza while waiting for the local Board of Elections to spit out results.
So, Matt Finfgeld and Jane Zimmermann at the Richland County Board of Elections, take your time tonight. I will be busy eating pizza. But don’t wait too long. When the pizza is gone, I wanna finish my work and go home. You’re officially on the clock!
Richland County Board of Elections Director Matt Finfgeld said today at 1:15 p.m. that 12,350 voters had cast ballots on this Election Day since polls opened at 6:30 a.m.
Polls remain open until 7:30 p.m.
Finfgeld said Tuesday morning turnout today was “what I expected.”
“No lines that I have heard of. Everything is running smoothly,” Finfgeld told Richland Source.
On Monday, Finfgeld estimated that 65 to 70 percent of county voters would participate in the November election cycle. Nearly 20 percent cast ballots during the month-long early voting process.
Good afternoon, Richland County voters! If you’re looking for live updates on the races and issues you and your neighbors are voting on, you’re in the right place.
I, Carl Hunnell, Katie Ellington Serrao and Hannah Martin will provide periodic updates on the status and outcomes of the elections throughout the night.
Here’s what you can expect coverage on from myself: