Today Ohioans head to the polls to vote on local issues including races for mayor, city council, school board, and levies. In the General Assembly Rep. Mike Stinziano (D-Columbus) is running for city council. Should Rep. Stinziano be successful in his bid for council, someone will need to be appointed to the 18th House District to complete his term. The same case holds true in the 23rd Senate District for Senator Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood). Sen. Skindell is running for mayor of Lakewood in Cuyahoga County.

On the state level there are three major ballot initiatives that will be considered today: Issue 1, state legislative redistricting reform; Issue 2, a proposal that protects Ohio’s constitution from monopoly interests; and Issue 3, the legalization of marijuana.

The Ohio Chamber has endorsed the passage of State Issues 1 and 2, and opposes State Issue 3.

For more information about all three state issues, please head to the Ohio Chamber’s 2015 Election Center.

Following today’s election, the 2016 election cycle will officially begin. While the presidential election and Senator Portman’s re-election race (likely against former Governor Ted Strickland) will take top billing, General Assembly races will play an important role in how Ohio will be governed for the final two years of the Kasich administration (if he is not in Washington already). House and Senate Republicans will play defense with their supermajorities in both chambers. In case you missed it here are two previous posts on open races in both the house and senate.

My twitter handle @probizpolitics will provide news and information on tonight’s results as well on the upcoming election in 2016. Please consider taking a look.