CINCINNATI — The first openly gay woman to take the sheriff’s office in one Ohio county is now trying to keep her job, and she has to go up against her old boss to do it.

With early voting underway, Charmaine McGuffey is about to put in her vote for herself. She’s the Hamilton County sheriff running for reelection.

“I’ve enjoyed every day I've ever worn this uniform. I know that there's lots to do," said McGuffey.

She got the job back in 2020. When she won that election she made history. She became the first woman and first openly gay person to earn the top spot at the sheriff’s office.

“Personally, it means that I have achieved goals that, honestly, I never dreamed that I would," said McGuffey.

She said it’s her wife’s support that’s been motivating her to keep up what she started.

In the last four years, McGuffey said she’s created new programs.

“I have a domestic violence task force, youth gun violence task force, I have a immigration task force," said McGuffey.

She's also made changes to the jail, like adding more secure cell locks.

If she wins the November election, she plans to continue that work and add to it.

“One of the things I'm going to do is start focusing on data and the collection of data, updating our computer systems so we can get that data and share it to the public, but also, I want to create a true mental health unit," said McGuffey.

To do that, she’ll have to defeat former sheriff Jim Neil, her old boss, now on the Republican side running against her, but she said she’s ready for Election Day.

“I’m very confident because of my record," said McGuffey.