Voting in Ohio begins for 2024 election

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Thousands of voters cast their ballot on the first day of early voting, including more than 4,100 voters in Franklin County. 

“I’m under a lot of stress because I want to be sure to vote the way that I want to vote. I have a lot of strong feelings,” voter Paulette Trinidad said. 

“We have felt strongly for several times that we’re not happy with the way the country is going and feel it’s very important to make sure our vote gets counted,” voter Dan Roberts said. 

Ohio has several high-profile races on the ballot this fall. That includes the very top of the ticket, which is the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Some said that was one of the most important votes to cast. 

Watch: Voting in Ohio begins for 2024 election

“The most important, so important,” Trinidad said. “I happen to be a Republican. I am horrified at the thought of a Democrat running things and I want to avoid disastrous decisions that I feel the Democrats would make and have made.” 

“I’m out here to vote for Harris and Walz, as well as Sherrod Brown,” voter Lisa Susser said. 

Voters like Susser said the U.S. Senate race in Ohio between incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Republican opponent Bernie Moreno, which is costing millions of dollars and could determine the balance of power in that chamber, is top of mind too.    

But when voters go to the poll, they are not only thinking about candidates, but how those candidates would handle issues they care about. 

“Immigration,” Trinidad said. “That’s my biggest thing is that people that come in that we do not know who they are, where they came from exactly.” 

“Believe it or not, it's peace but I guess, I’m not for abortion, but I think people should have their rights, so I guess that would be the biggest one,” voter Cynthia Mason said. 

“Democracy,” Susser said. “That is the most important thing to me as well as women’s rights. The government does not have the right to tell me how to take care of my body.” 

The economy is another factor some voters said they are paying attention to, but said that is a constant, not the driving force taking them to the polls this year. 

“Democracy as a whole, women's abortion rights,” voter Matt Rootes said. “And just the next phase of where our country is going and with Donald Trump, I hope the country will not go in that direction.” 

“Economy is always,” Rootes said. “I own two small businesses, so always on top of mind. But you know, we just came out of the pandemic, we came out of COVID, there were supply chain issues. Inflation was going to happen. We knew that. And I think the current administration has done a really good job of reducing that stuff.” 

While voters may not all agree on the issues most important to them, voters did agree that making sure your voice is heard this year is critical. 

“It's important to vote every year. But this year, with so many things going on, the division in our country, border control, abortion, there's so many different issues,” Mason said. “I know that at one point we can't come to an agreement and work together. I believe in our country.”