Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 5th
By: Deb Giehl (Contributing Guest Political Commentator)
LOVELAND, OH (March 17, 2026) – A VERY important date in May is right around the corner. Not my birthday, Mother’s Day or Memorial Day (although, I consider those three dates quite important). Can you guess it? Many people don’t have a clue. Primary Election Day – Tuesday, May 5th! And that’s what this column is primarily (no pun intended) about.
Deb Giehl, Central Committee Rep. Pct 128, Warren County (File Photo)
A sad fact we all have to contend with is that only ~25% of registered voters (if that!) take the time to research candidates and vote in Primary Elections. I’ve always been curious as to why that is. I mean, every registered voter has a BETTER choice of who to vote for in the November General Election if they just take the time to vote in the Primary. Please allow me to explain.
I have attached sample Republican AND Democrat ballots for the Loveland precinct in which I live. (NOTE: Links at end of column) Why, you may ask? Because when you vote in a primary, you must declare a party and you will get a ballot with the candidates for your declared party. I have to tell you. I’ve been working the Warren County polls for 17 years and I’m AMAZED that some people still “huff and puff” when they have to tell the poll workers which ballot they want. WHY?
Are they embarrassed to be a Democrat or a Republican? (Who knows what goes on in the minds of some voters?!) Bottom line? You MUST declare a party. You will then be considered a member of that party until the next Primary Election. Boo-Hoo … that’s the way it is. HOWEVER, in the General Election (Tuesday, November 3, 2026) you can vote Democrat or Republican, (regardless of your declared party in the primary) whatever your heart desires.
Now – back to why it’s so important to vote in the May 5th Primary Election. I’m going to take, in my opinion, one of the most important races (Ohio Governor) as an example. As you will see in the two attached ballots, there are three people to vote for on the Republican ballot: Heather Hill, Casey Putsch and Vivek Ramaswamy. There is only one person to vote for on the Democrat ballot: Amy Acton. (Side note: you will remember Acton who worked with DeWine to close all schools, small businesses, churches, etc. during the “planned scamdemic”) . Yep, she’s actually thinking no one will remember that debacle and people will actually vote her in as Ohio Governor. Give me a break and gag me with a spoon! But I digress.
As a Democrat, you have no choice but to vote for Acton. Because she is unopposed in the Primary Election, she will be the only Democrat on the ballot for Governor in the November 3rd General Election. As a Republican, however, YOU HAVE A CHOICE as to who will be running on the ballot as the Republican candidate against Acton. Will it be Hill, Putsch or Ramaswamy? Who do YOU want the Republican candidate to be versus Democrat candidate Acton? Well, vote in the May 5th Primary Election and have a say! If you wait until November to vote, you will only have two choices: Acton, the Democrat OR whichever Republican wins the May Primary Election! See how easy that is to understand? It’s really a no-brainer! I BEG you to vote in the May 5th Primary Election!
In a Political email I shared in January 2026, I made mention of the Central Committee ELECTED position and our “job description”. These candidates (only on the Primary ballot so this is the only time you can vote for them) are running for a 4-year term. If these candidates come knocking on your door, I really hope you will take the time to chit-chat with them a bit. If they ask you to share your contact information (phone, email address, etc.) please don’t hesitate to do so. This is the easiest and least expensive way for us to keep in touch with you regarding what is happening in our county, and we need YOUR INPUT to be effective in the county and in Columbus. Again, this is the easiest way for Central Committee Reps to keep our constituents informed and get information from you. Meeting and working with your PERSONAL precinct’s Central Committee Representative may be the only opportunity you will have to work with an elected official. As all elected officials should feel, we are here to work for YOU. We want to hear your thoughts, concerns and suggestions as to how we can make Ohio a better place to raise a family, work and play. We play an important part in the political process, but our importance and effectiveness only works if YOU work with US!
Although it is too late to get on a ballot, there are still HUNDREDS of open seats available throughout the state (70+ in Warren County alone). Would YOU possibly be interested in being an active participant in this important political arena? I know for a fact many counties work with interested people and one can be APPOINTED to a precinct after the election whether or not you live in it. In Warren County (WC) there is a vetting process; we would like to confirm that you are on the same “conservative page” as we are with regard to representing our constituents. (I assume other counties may have that same opportunity – you would have to contact your local GOP office.)
If you would like more information on this process, please contact Pete Mengel, WC Central Committee Chairman. You can learn more about him (and the rest of the WC GOP leadership members) by checking out www.gopwarrencounty.com/gopleadership. If you leave your name, contact information and a message explaining your interest on this website, you should be answered promptly. Good luck and thank you for your potential future service!
With regard to voting … the last day to register to vote or update your address for the May 5th Primary Election is Monday, April 6th – 8 AM to 9 PM at the WC Board of Elections (BoE). Absentee / Early Voting Hours in WC at the WC BoE (520 Justice Drive, Lebanon, 45036) are as follows:
- April 7 – 24: 8 AM – 5 PM (Not on Saturday or Sunday)
- April 27; April 29 – May 1: 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM
- April 28: 7:30 AM – 8:30 PM
- May 2: 8 AM – 4 PM
- May 3: 1 – 4 PM
When you vote on Primary Election Day, May 5th, the polling locations are open from 6:30 AM – 7:30 PM. Please make certain you know your proper precinct / polling place – especially if you’ve recently moved – before you go. Trust me, you’ll save yourself a LOT of grief!
As a side note, there are four scenarios regarding the request for an absentee ballot:
1) You get the ballot, complete it and mail it back to the BoE for their receipt before the deadline of May 5th, 7:30 PM; or
2) You don’t receive the ballot in time to return it on a timely basis (thank your lovely government-run post office delivery situation or maybe you have a personal issue with procrastination – LOL!) in which case you CAN personally hand-deliver your ballot to the WC BoE by 7:30 PM on voting day, May 5th. You CANNOT drop it off at your polling place and expect that the poll workers will deliver it for you with the rest of that day’s ballots. That will NOT happen as we’re lucky if we get back to the BoE by 8:30 PM which is past the deadline; or
3) You get the ballot and do NOT complete / return it because you decided you’d rather vote on May 5th at your polling place; or
4) You just plain don’t receive the ballot and MUST vote at your polling place if you want to cast your vote.
Options 1 and 2 – you’re all set (if you hand-deliver your ballot at the BoE by the deadline) and alleluia, amen!
Options 3 and 4 – be prepared to be told by the wonderful poll workers that you must vote a PROVISIONAL ballot. This protects the possibility of a person inadvertently (or intentionally and illegally) voting twice. This rule is put in place to protect the integrity and honesty of the election. Don’t get angry with the poll worker … we’re only doing our job and following protocol set in place by the Secretary of State.
Talking about poll workers: we are soooo COOL! The hours are long and the pay isn’t great (although getting paid a stipend is certainly better than nothing). If you would like to be a poll worker, contact your local BoE as soon as possible so you have time to go through the proper training. It’s a rewarding and satisfying experience to know that you are doing what you can to ensure safe and honest elections. Still working? That’s no excuse! Take a paid personal or vacation day, enjoy meeting / working with new people, and receive the thanks and appreciation of many voters. You’ll go to bed tired at the end of the night, but thankful you did something wonderful for holding up our country’s republic / democracy.
I’ve mentioned the iVoterGuide organization previously. iVoterGuide is one of three divisions of AFA Action, the governmental affairs affiliate of American Family Association. Their mission is to inform and mobilize individuals to strengthen the biblical foundations of America. It works to equip conservatives to vote wisely and be good stewards of their citizenship. I have been a volunteer panelist with the group for several years and do quite a bit of research on candidates that will be on local ballots. They are currently looking for a variety of positions that can be found HERE. Feel free to check out these opportunities if you feel a tug at your heart from God! I LOVE working with them and feel fortunate to be making a positive difference in the voting world.
I will preface these next two paragraphs of information with the reminder that I will never tell anyone for whom to vote; I only intend to educate and inform.
To that end, Marcel Strbich is running for Secretary of State and hopes to get your vote to keep our Ohio elections safe and secure. Some people have never heard of him. I was asked to send this link: (https://forms.gle/
Secondly, there is a proposed Ohio House Bill 427 that could affect ALL Ohioans and our money. This bill encourages the establishment of voluntary demand response programs, where participating customers can allow utilities to temporarily adjust energy usage, such as raising thermostat settings or cycling water heaters, during periods of high demand. Supposedly, customers would always have the ability to override these actions, and utilities would be permitted to compensate participants with either an annual payment or a per-event fee. If you would like more information on this bill, Kim Georgeton (Lt. Governor candidate running with Casey Putsch for Governor) has written a lengthy email opposing this bill and sent it to the Ohio House Energy Committee. If you would like me to send you this email under separate cover to learn more about this most recent overreach in our OH government, please let me know and I’ll be happy to do so.
Schools: I’m sure a lot of us can agree that, in recent history, many of our local school districts sometimes indoctrinate more than they educate. Today I am adding a link to this email (FHSD Superintendent SurveY) that will allow you to complete a survey with the Forest Hills School District. Because I personally live in the Kings School District, I’ll admit I’m not that involved with Forest Hills (although I did attend a school board meeting there some time ago to criticize Critical Race Theory when it was a raging topic throughout many Districts.) Anyway … evidently Forest Hills is looking for a new Superintendent. If you live in this District, you may be interested in completing the survey and have a say in what the new Superintendent’s skills, qualities and priorities are needed to best serve the students, staff and community. The deadline for completing the survey is Saturday, March 21, and should only take about 10-15 minutes of your valuable time.
Upcoming Events:
March 23 – Republican Women of Warren County Meet the Candidates Night at the Ironwood Grill & Tap (5158 Kings Island Dr, Mason, 45040) from 6 – 8 PM. A $20 donation will go towards the offered light hors d’oeuvres and their scholarship fund. There will also be a cash bar. Please RSVP as soon as possible; the RSVP deadline is March 20th. Call or text Renaetepe@gmail.com / 513-850-9214. I happen to know that MANY of the candidates on the WC ballot will be in attendance; I’m sure they would love to meet you and answer any questions you may have.
March 28 – Sign Wave in support of ICE, Border Patrol, Anti-Defund the Police, LEGAL Immigration and recognition of the hundreds (if not thousands) of Americans who’ve been assaulted, raped, murdered at the hands of illegal aliens. Meet at the parking lot behind Miyako Sushi & Grill (7691 Voice of America Centre Dr, West Chester, 45069) at 2:30 PM with flags and signs. Actual demonstration will take place at the busy intersection of Tylersville and Cox Roads.
April 10 – WC GOP Lincoln-Reagan Dinner at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, OH with Keynote Speaker Vivek Ramaswamy, Special Guest Anthony Munoz and, back by popular demand, Shawn Farash (a fantastic and entertaining Donald J. Trump impersonator). For tickets and information, go to www.gopwarrencounty.com.
April 18 – Matthew 25 Ministries is holding their annual Hunger 5K at Summit Park beginning at 8:30 AM. I have participated in their 5Ks for a number of years and it’s incredibly well coordinated. I highly recommend you give it a shot as it’s a great way to start a beautiful (hopefully) Spring Day with fresh air and exercise. You can also bring canned goods and other shelf-ready food to donate for their huge barrels. Register online at Hunger5K.org. The discounted rate for individuals is $45 now through March 31. Active Military and Veterans can participate for free. As I “talk the talk and walk the walk”, I’m already registered. Maybe I’ll see you there!
The attached sample ballots should allow you to start your own research on the candidates before early voting begins on April 7th. (Obviously, other precincts / counties will have different candidates, but most of these listed are statewide.)
Links: https://vote.warrencountyohio.gov/ And THEN: https://lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/warren/ballotlist.aspx
Deb Giehl
Central Committee Rep. Pct 128, Warren County
debgi@yahoo.com
513 / 828-9020
ADD NOTE: As always, I welcome your feedback and constructive criticism on my political column. In the meantime, lets toast to a delightful St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th (the unofficial start to Spring, in my humble opinion) with a green beer … and I don’t even drink beer, but I’ll make an exception … LOL. Have a great upcoming weekend.
