In Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties, nearly 900 candidates are on the bal lot, vying for election to boards of township trustees, school boards and city councils.
Rain usually ends up dampening turnout.
The top vote-getter in today's race for council will become the city's new mayor, because incumbent Democrat Roxanne Qualls could not run again because of term limits. It will be the last election in which the top vote-getter in the council election will become mayor. In May, Cincinnati voters approved a charter change that will set up the direct election of a mayor with enhanced powers in 2001. The renewal of a children's services levy tops the ballot in Butler County. The dispute is over a Portune campaign brochure that contains a picture of Mr. Portune at a community meeting in College Hill with two uniformed District 5 police officers.