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Voters Voice Their Thoughts Before Election, And Green Party Candidate For Senate Says He'll Perform Well

It’s the final weekend before the election, and with Ohio still considered a toss up, both presidential candidates came back to the Buckeye State for one last swing. Cuyahoga County is a key one for both parties, with early absentee ballot voting down for both Republicans and Democrats. Among those taking advantage of early voting this week was Gov. John Kasich, who admitted that he cast his presidential vote for Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party’s candidate for president in 2008.

A new Quinnipiac poll out this week shows Donald Trump leading by five points in Ohio. And earlier this week, the campaigns sent two of their top surrogates to Ohio, to appeal to younger voters. President Obama appeared at Capital University just east of downtown Columbus, and supporters such as Rodney Sutton and Noni Dupriest, both of Columbus, said they’re standing behind her. Not long after Obama finished his speech, the son of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was speaking to a smaller group at a bigger venue - Donald Trump Jr. spoke at Ohio State University. And his message of fixing Obama’s policies was resonating with the supporters who came out to hear him, including Cameron Hunt of Hilliard and Melissa Yen of Shaker Heights.

Some of those voters who heard Obama and Trump speak are voting in their very first presidential election. And while many veteran voters say this is the most unique race they’ve experienced, first time voters have their own thoughts. Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism fellow Rachel Niemi talked to some of them recently at a rally for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. 

There are many important voting blocs in Ohio – and among them are the two million people living in the 32 counties that make up Appalachian Ohio. And the voters there could play a key role in determining the nation’s next president. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles went to the heart of Appalachian Ohio to talk to voters in Pike County, which went to Mitt Romney in 2012 by just one vote.

The last two weeks saw a series of three debates between incumbent Republican Senator Rob Portman and his Democratic challenger, former Gov. Ted Strickland. I was privileged to moderate the final one before the City Club of Cleveland. But Strickland and Portman aren’t the only candidates on the ballot for US Senate – there’s also the Green Party candidate, Joe DeMare, who talks about his positions on the issues.