Election day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
A lot of people think their vote doesn't matter. It does. If it didn't, the most powerful people in this country wouldn't spend billions trying to change how we vote and who we vote for.
For most of our history, working people had real leverage because the powerful needed our labor. With AI and robotics, that may not be true within a decade. If we don't use our votes to hold politicians accountable now, we could lose that power for good.
So vote for more than a party label or this year's hot-button issue. Ask who you're really voting for, and whether they'll protect people like you and your kids. Even if there's only a small chance we lose our democracy for good, the stakes are too high to ignore.
Like an asteroid, you prepare for it.
The basics
1
Three ways: early in person, by mail, or at your polling place on election day.
More details +
Early in-person voting runs through Sunday, November 1, including the two Saturdays and the Sunday before election day. On Tuesday, November 3, polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
2
Fairfield County early voting is at the Board of Elections, 951 Liberty Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130. It's open now.
More details +
On election day, Tuesday, November 3, you vote at your assigned polling place. Find your polling place.
3
Tue., Oct. 27
Last day to request a mail ballot (by 8:30 p.m.).
Tue., Nov. 3
Election day. Mail ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m.
In person
Bring a photo ID.
History and civics
A quick refresher on how the system works and who it has worked for.
Congress
President
Courts
Three branches, each checking the others, so no one person holds all the power.
Read more: civics pages coming soon
Popular vote
Electoral College
Presidents are chosen by 538 electors, not the national popular vote. They usually line up, but not always.
Read more: civics pages coming soon
Founders and landowners
The Gilded Age
Labor and the New Deal
Big money and AI
Power has swung between the few and the many. Working people gained ground when the powerful needed their labor.
Read more: civics pages coming soon
The great
The terrible
We've done great things and terrible things. Owning the bad is how we become the people we think we are.
Read more: civics pages coming soon
Values
I support progressive candidates who promote freedom and take care of people. I'm not against conservatives who share those values.
This year, I'm voting against MAGA because it hasn't checked Trump or held the powerful accountable.
Read more: What I believeFreedom
Taking care of people
Where I look for candidates: the overlap.
How I voted
Phil's ballot
General election, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Fairfield County, Ohio. My picks, not an official ballot.
U.S. Senator (unexpired term)
Sherrod Brown (D)
Governor and lieutenant governor
Amy Acton and David Pepper (D)
Attorney general
John J. Kulewicz (D)
Auditor of state
Annette Blackwell (D)
Secretary of state
Allison Russo (D)
Treasurer of state
Seth Walsh (D)
Ohio Supreme Court (term starting Jan. 1, 2027)
Jennifer Brunner (D)
Ohio Supreme Court (term starting Jan. 2, 2027)
Marilyn Zayas (D)
U.S. House, 12th district
Jerrad Christian (D)
Ohio House
Whittney Wood (D), 73rd district
Amy Rigsby (D), 69th district
Judge, 5th District Court of Appeals
Matthew George, unopposed. No pick.
Judge, Fairfield County juvenile/probate
Terre L. Vandervoort, unopposed. No pick.
Issue 3: voter ID constitutional amendment
No
Ohio already requires photo ID under a 2023 law, and in-person voter fraud is extremely rare. Locking it into the constitution adds a permanent burden on older, poorer and rural voters to solve a problem that barely exists.
Your ballot depends on where you live. These free tools show exactly what you'll see, where to go and whether you're registered.
Coming in the next few days
I'm building a values-based voting tool. It starts with my values, you adjust them to match yours, and it turns your actual ballot into a printable cheat sheet to take to the polls.
1. Start with my values
2. Slide the levers to yours
3. Print your cheat sheet
FAQ
Does my vote really count? +
Yes. Close races happen, especially for local offices and issues further down the ballot. And if votes didn't matter, powerful people wouldn't spend billions trying to influence them.
What ID do I need? +
To vote in person in Ohio, bring an unexpired photo ID, such as an Ohio driver's license or state ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a U.S. military or veterans ID card.
Can I vote early? +
Yes. In Fairfield County, early in-person voting is open now at the Board of Elections, 951 Liberty Drive, Lancaster, through Sunday, November 1. Hours vary by day. You can also vote by mail if you request a ballot by Tuesday, October 27.
What if I'm not sure I'm registered? +
Check in a minute with the Ohio voter lookup. The registration deadline for this election was October 5. If you moved within Ohio and didn't update your address, you can usually still cast a provisional ballot.
