Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton toured the Youngstown Business Incubator and rallied in Liberty, stressing ties to Mahoning and Trumbull counties ahead of Election Day against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Acton has repeatedly addressed a Ramaswamy-backed ad featuring her estranged mother, calling her a liar and alleging mental health issues; Gov. Mike DeWine called it exploitative. Both candidates are closing with pitches on Ohio's affordability crisis, with Ramaswamy touting his business background and property-tax executive orders, and Acton emphasizing public-service experience, a working families tax cut, and school funding.

Ramaswamy has self-funded and outspent Acton nearly $80 million to $34 million overall, though Acton has outraised him recently; both have shattered Ohio's gubernatorial fundraising record, and neither has held elected office before. Democrats are banking on a late push, including a Cleveland rally with Barack Obama and expanded early voting, as prediction markets show Acton favored heading into Election Day.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio election records show that officials accepted provisional ballots from nine voters in the November 2022 election after voter-registration organization Black Fork Strategies submitted forms that changed addresses without voters' knowledge. Officials verified the ballots by matching signatures against older registration records, and two additional voters had addresses corrected before voting early. The county board referred the matter to the Ohio secretary of state's office in 2023.

The issue has resurfaced after Secretary of State Frank LaRose asked the FBI and federal prosecutors to investigate new allegations that Black Fork, also known as Field Forward Ohio, submitted thousands of registration forms late in Summit and Hamilton counties ahead of a recent deadline.

Ohio Democrats head into this year's elections with what analysts call their best shot in years to break the GOP's grip on statewide offices, though Republicans retain a clear structural advantage. Separately, a new state law requires mailed absentee ballots to reach county election offices by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day with no grace period, prompting Secretary of State Frank LaRose to urge voters to use drop boxes or deliver ballots in person. The Ohio Auditor's office also took its web systems offline after a cyberattack possibly involving foreign actors, though officials say no financial data appears compromised. LaRose separately sought a federal probe into a voter-registration group's activity in Cuyahoga County.

Cuyahoga County and Chagrin Valley Dispatch (CVD), a regional council of governments handling 911 dispatch for several member communities, are at odds over CVD's purchase of a separate 911 call-handling system. The county argues the move needs further review; CVD says the system can run alongside the county's and speed a transition to Next Generation 911.

Ohio law splits 911 responsibilities among municipalities, dispatch operators, a county review committee, and the state's 911 Program Office, which oversees statewide call-routing. Municipalities choose dispatch providers and help approve the countywide plan, but cannot opt out of it or veto individual equipment decisions. The county's plan requires its coordinator to review new or upgraded equipment for compatibility, with disputes referred to a program review committee — a process that has not yet resolved whether CVD's project has all required approvals.

The North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation has released updated designs for the 50-acre site around Cleveland's Browns stadium, which is set to be demolished. The plan creates a street-grid neighborhood with zones for housing, offices, hotels, and recreation, centered on a park where the football field now sits. Features include a Lake Erie Plaza for markets and events, a waterfront promenade linking the Great Lakes Science Center and Rock Hall, and roughly 7.5 acres of public green space. A previously proposed 10,000-seat venue was dropped. A related land bridge connecting downtown to the lakefront was also updated, narrowing from 100 to 60 feet wide, with construction expected to begin in 2027.

Mayfield Heights, Ohio, City Council voted 6-1 against a petitioners' request to rezone a 7.7-acre Parkland Boulevard parcel back to office use, clearing the way for voters to decide the matter directly via Issue 107 on the Nov. 3 ballot. The move follows an Ohio Supreme Court ruling upholding the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections' decision to let residents vote on whether to rezone the site for Sommers Development Group's proposed 61-unit townhome project, reversing council's May approval. Opponents, including nearby Woodhawk Drive residents and business owners, cite safety and land-use concerns, while Sommers Development maintains the project followed a thorough, fully vetted approval process.

Alaska's U.S. Senate race has drawn attention because two candidates named Dan Sullivan appear on the ballot: incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who grew up in Ohio, and a retired schoolteacher sharing the same name. The state Supreme Court ruled in June that both can remain on the ballot, with labels distinguishing the "Registered Republican" incumbent on the ranked-choice ballot. President Trump has directed the Justice Department to sue to block certification if Sullivan loses his tight race against Democrat Mary Peltola. The episode highlights how name recognition and ballot confusion can shape elections, a dynamic also seen in local judicial races elsewhere.