Trump's reach seen on first day of early voting in Lorain County

SHEFFIELD TWP. — Former President Donald Trump isn't on the ballot this fall, but his influence was easy to see Wednesday as early voting got underway. Among those to cast ballots on the first day of in-person voting was Barbara Ambler of Elyria, who said she was voting straight Republican. "I'm a Trumper," she said. "I know he's not running, but I'm thinking long-range because the guy who's up there right now is not doing a good job." Norman Kloos of Avon said he was there to vote for JD Vance, the Trump-backed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. After watching about 20 minutes of a debate Monday between Vance and Democratic opponent Tim Ryan, Kloos said he wanted to back the Republican. Mary Valliere of Elyria said she's made early voting a tradition. She tends to vote for Democrats. On Wednesday, she wanted to vote against Trump's interests on the ballot, including any of his preferred candidates. "I watched him try to steal a home from an old lady in Atlantic City when he built his first casino," Valliere said, referencing a well-documented case in the 1990s. It revolved around Trump's use of eminent domain to attempt to seize an elderly woman's home to build a limousine parking lot. The woman ultimately won in court. "Ever since then, I have nothing good to say about him," Valliere said. Randall Nichols, a Lorain County resident, sat at the roadside in front of the election office wearing a red hat stitched with the word "maggot" and holding a since that read "Vance hates hillbillies." Nichols said Vance's novel, "Hillbilly Elegy," puts down poor rural residents. "And of course, he's got Trump backing him, which leads me to believe that he's mentally ill, intellectually challenged and a moron," he said. Drawing honks from passing cars, Nichols said he doesn't view all Republicans with the same disdain, but he said he can't support candidates who raise taxes on the working class and attack women's rights.Lorain County Democratic Party Central Committee Chairwoman Sharon Sweda said Nichols was handing out sample Democratic ballots on Wednesday, and is entitled to freedom of speech, but that the party would not be supplying him with those ballots to hand out going forward. "I would like to state that the gentleman in that hat (Nichols) was not sanctioned by our party or reflective of our party's sentiment or messaging," Sweda said. "He did that by himself, and we are going to ask him not to distribute Democratic sample ballots moving forward. We will not supply him with any." Despite their differences, people from both sides of the political aisle were supportive of Ohio's early voting hours. By the time the election office closed at 5 p.m., 534 Lorain County residents had cast votes, according to Director Paul Adams. That's far higher than the 397 who voted the first day in the 2018 midterm. Ambler said she wanted to vote early in-person to avoid long lines. She was also nearly unable to vote on Election Day, Nov. 8, due to a surgery that was scheduled the day before but has now been canceled. For Kloos, early voting is all about convenience and peace of mind. "I like to get things done ahead of time," he said. "I've worked (in) factories all my life where the product has to be out yesterday. Well, that's the kind of person I am." As a poll worker, Valliere will be busy on Election Day, so casting her ballot in advance made sense. Early voting can be done at 1985 North Ridge Road E., Sheffield Township. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Friday, Oct. 28; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday, Oct. 31 to Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5; 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7. The polls will be open across Lorain County from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Another 27,014 county residents have requested vote-by-mail ballots, Adams said. A drive-thru absentee ballot drop-off opens today in the Board of Elections parking lot. It will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, with some weekend hours late in the month. A drop box outside the office can be used 24 hours a day. Adams said the board has worked with Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti to have a deputy stationed at the elections office around the clock through Nov. 8. Reporter Dave O'Brien contributed to this story. Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.