CINCINNATI — Whether it was on Tuesday in person at the polls, or if they were one of the hundreds of thousands of voters in Hamilton County, who cast their ballot early this election, everyone had their reason to vote and make their voice heard.
Unlike earlier in the day, there were no longer lines by the afternoon. In fact, poll workers at the Knoxville Presbyterian Church in Hyde Park said that they had a line out the door, beginning at 6 a.m., but less than two hours later, it remained steadily quiet and calm. And just before the polls closed Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., last-minute and after-work voters came inside the church to cast their ballot.
Although the lines at the polls had dwindled, the community was still out strong with signs in hand and something to say about voting, their chosen candidate and the issues that they believe are the most prevalent to address no matter who wins the presidential election.
The major issues concerning voters throughout Hamilton County’s polling locations ran the gamut, including leadership accountability and health care.
"As a health care provider, the last four years have been really special to say the least. But particularly with this election, because of the pandemic and the terrible way that it was handled, I just feel that as a healthcare provider, that we and our patients were very much left behind, and I want to make sure that my vote changes that,” said Dr. Janelle Evans, a 44-year-old resident of Simms Township and a physician with Kettering Medical Network.
Standing outside the Knoxville Presbyterian Church and wearing a Ruth Bader Ginsburg face mask, Evans said she totes her former President Barack Obama and Ruth Bader Ginsburg action figures in her backpack everywhere she goes.
"I just felt like Ruth should be here, first of all. Obama gave so much to us and I feel like Biden will give us even more,” she said of the Supreme Court Justice who died last month at 87 years old.
Action figures aside, the physician takes Election Day seriously and every year, she said, sharing that she takes the day off from work to support the candidates she believes in and voting in general.
In years past, she has driven senior citizens to the polls to vote. But this year, with COVID-19, she instead showed her support by holding signs and talking to the community — encouraging them to vote.
"The right to vote is a special thing and it is your right,” Evans said. “I don't think there should be anything in your way to get you out to the polls. It should be a national holiday and it should be a celebration of our ability to choose.”
"There's been a lot of uncertainty and that's not going to change tomorrow," she said Tuesday evening outside the polls. "We have a lot of things, as a country that we really need to work on. I don't think it'll get worked on very well, unless we start to acknowledge, we, as a society, have to do it together.”
Michael Woody, a 22-year-old University of Cincinnati law student, was taking a walk in his neighborhood when he stumbled upon some folks who shared his views, just outside the Knoxville Presbyterian Church.
"I already locked in my vote and I was just stressed out and went on a walk and came across some people swinging around signs, and realized that I couldn't sit out an election this big and this important,” he said. "I figured it was a better use of my energy than stressing about things I can't change – and maybe it gives me a small percentage of ability to affect change."
So, for the next five hours, Woody stood with his mask on and a Biden-Harris sign in hand, on the corner of Observatory and Michigan avenues, showing passersby who he supported in the presidential election and relaying to those walking past, why voting is of the upmost importance, especially this year.
"That's what we put at the center of the American ethos is our love of our freedom. But when we don't vote, we're ceding that freedom to those who do. And those who do are more powerful, who are more wealthy and who are looking out for themselves,” Woody said. "So, if people don't turn out to vote, they can't make sure their own interests are taken care of."
"I think the question on the ballot is the same but I think people are little more aware of the consequences now — which I think we're seeing in the record-breaking turnout. People care a lot more now than in 2016,” Woody said about voting in his second presidential election.
Robert Bonnici, 56, of Hyde Park, waved at drivers on the other side of the street corner of Observatory and Michigan avenues, in hopes of, he said, “Bringing decency back to our country’s government.”
Just about a mile away, at the Oakley Public Library, Sharon Wynn, of Roselawn, handed out Democratic Party sample ballots and information, alongside a Republican Party representative.
"I'm out here, hoping that we can get enough people to vote, so that we can get the right man in, and do the job, so we can get things taken care of the way things need to be taken care of,” Wynn said just outside the polling location.
But for her, it is also about relaying the message that it is vital to vote, regardless of the party they support.
“The reason why I feel you should vote, is you always talk about what is not happening, and in order for things to happen the way you want it to happen, you need to vote to get your voice heard. Instead of sitting back talking about it — be about it,” the 60-year-old said, standing outside the Oakley Public Library, where just around the corner, the 20th Century Theater had a message on their marquee: “ATTENTION WE THE PEOPLE DO YOUR JOB VOTE.”
Meg Savage, 58, of Hyde Park, said that she has voted on Election Day every presidential election since she cast her first vote for Ronald Reagan, who was elected in 1980. And on Tuesday, she voted to re-elect President Donald Trump.
"He's a person of his word and everything he said he would do four years ago, I feel that he's lived up to — and actually superseded what he said,” Savage said.
"We're all just individuals and I fundamentally agree with all that he stands for. I'm a patriot. I love my country. I love the constitution. And he stands for all of that,” she said. “I think he has a lot left to do that would be monumental. (He's) pro-American, just everyday American. I'm just an everyday American. And I want a job and I want to love my country and be proud of it," said Savage, who lost her job during the pandemic.
Jennifer Schmitz, 51, of Oakley, voted early for former Vice President Joe Biden – but came out to the polls to hand out information to other voters. She said she voted for Biden because wants the country to be better for every citizen.
"I think, in part, we need to restore civility and get back to making compromises so that we improve the country for the betterment of everyone," she said. "And I think the president needs to be about the country, not the person, the personality — about the policies, not the personality.”
"I think we need to restore credibility back to the United States, as a whole. I think we need to start holding our elected officials more to account," Schmitz said. "We have a representative democracy — you're supposed to represent my views."
While the two parties may disagree on who they want to run the country, both sides agreed that they want acceptance once the votes are tallied.
"I hope, whatever the results tonight, that we move forward peacefully and lovingly and don't let whoever's in the White House freak you out too much,” Woody said.
John Mangan, 75, of Hyde Park, said he hopes the country does not rebel against whatever the election's outcome may be.
"The only thing you can do is get out and express your will by voting... and then honor the vote as we did four years ago,” he said. "That's the candidate that got elected, that's democracy and we move on."
In Norwood, Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies are making sure the peace is kept at the Hamilton County Board of Elections, along with helping voters on Election Day.
On Tuesday afternoon, Sgt. Aaron Oberlander spent the day directing voters at the Hamilton County Board of Elections to their polling site, since in-person voting at the board of elections ended Monday at 2 p.m.
Sitting inside his truck, the 16-year law enforcement veteran called out to people in the parking lot, asking if they were there to vote. When they approached him, he asked their address and directed them to their correct polling location in the county.
The number of voters, both early and on Election Day, was unprecedented.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Lt. Joel Higgins, 63, has patrolled for the board of elections for the past 16 years, and said he has never seen an election or voter turnout like this year.
Even with early voting, he said, when he voted Tuesday morning, it was a 45-minute wait at his polling site.
"I have not seen this kind of turnout for years,” he said. "I think it's gonna be a record turnout for Hamilton County for voters, period.”
He has been patrolling at the Board of Elections for the last few weeks, and he said, he has seen hours-long waits to vote early.
Higgins and other Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies were also on patrol at the Board of Elections to ensure everything ran smoothly. In fact, he said, they will be on site 24 hours a day, for the next few weeks until all votes are certified.
By the time the polls closed at 7:30 p.m., in Hamilton County Tuesday, 420,430 voters had cast their ballot, including 171,371 voters who chose to wait until Election Day to cast their ballot.
A record-breaking 80,570 voters, who cast their ballot this election in Hamilton County, chose to do so early — in addition to the 168,489 absentee votes. Overall, the county saw a 70% turnout this presidential election.
Hamilton County was not alone in the uptick in voter turnout. Ohioans in totality came out in droves to cast their vote this election.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, 3.4 million voters cast their absentee ballot or voted early as of Monday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.
Also, as of Monday afternoon, 1,339,764 Ohioans had voted early in-person — more than twice the amount who voted early in the 2016 presidential election.
“Ohioans have refused to listen to the fear mongers who have spent months trying to convince them that it’s hard to vote – they’re proving it’s easy with every record broken,” said Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. “As ballots mailed on time continue to come in over the next ten days, Ohioans should rest assured that each legally cast ballot will be counted and their voice will be heard.”