COLUMBUS – Many of the results were foregone conclusions so the process of conducting Ohio’s primary election Tuesday drew all the attention.
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Former Vice President Joe Biden won an overwhelming victory, as his last rival, Bernie Sanders, dropped out of the race earlier this month.
President Donald Trump ran unopposed on the Republican ballot.
The contest was less about the Democratic nomination for president and more about how states can conduct elections in the era of the coronavirus.
The primary was originally scheduled for March 17, but Republican Gov. Mike DeWine cited a “health emergency” and recommended that in-person balloting not be held until June 2. Amid legal challenges, officials pushed balloting to this week while converting to a mail-in process.
There were reports of confusion at some polling places but no widespread disruption like in Wisconsin earlier this month, when voters were forced to overlook social distancing guidelines to stand in line wearing masks to cast a ballot.
Still, overall turnout appeared to be off. The secretary of state’s office said that about 1.5 million votes had been cast as of midday Saturday, down sharply from the 3.2 million cast in Ohio’s 2016 presidential primary.
The Franklin County Board of Elections reported that 19 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.
Democratic U.S. House incumbent Joyce Beatty knocked away a spirited challenge from Morgan Harper, taking 68 percent of the votes cast in the 3rd Congressional District.
Alaina Shearer won the right to challenge incumbent Troy Balderson in the 12th U.S. House District and Joel Newby won the Democratic primary in the 15th District, where Steve Stivers is the Republican incumbent.
Voters in Franklin County approved one-time, 24-year bond issue that will generate an estimated $300 million for capital improvements at Columbus State Community College.
“We have a plan. Now, we can begin the process of modernizing 200 classrooms and labs, upgrading technology, and providing the training and education students need. The modernizing projects we will undertake will provide a timely spark to our local economy,” said college president Dr. David Harrison.