Five things to know for Tuesday, Nov. 4

Coughlin drops bid to unseat Sykes

The state’s new congressional districts have claimed their first candidate. Following the passage of the state’s new districts, Republican Kevin Coughlin announced he was ditching his bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes in the Akron area.

“Our strong, well funded campaign cleared the upcoming primary field and was ready to flip OH-13 next fall,” he said in a Sunday social media post. “Having been through a tough 2024 campaign I know how this story ends and what this means in terms of fundraising and national support. I do not see a path to victory and I cannot ask our supporters to continue to invest their time and treasure into this race.”

Buckeye Institute: House Bill 309

House Bill 309 would give county budget commissions another mechanism to reduce property tax levies if they collect more taxes than the voters approved, The Buckeye Institute said. It is one of the 10 recommendations the Columbus-based think tank gave to the Property Tax Reform Working Group, which recently handed down 20 recommendations.

“The legislation empowers county budget commissions to reduce property tax levies if those levies collect more than necessary to accomplish their goals,” Greg R. Lawson, research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, said in prepared testimony to the Ohio Senate Local Government Committee.

State submits waiver to stop food stamps for sugar-sweetened beverages

State officials have submitted a federal waiver to prevent food stamp recipients from using their benefits to buy sugar-sweetened beverages.

However, Department of Job & Family Services officials want the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to allow users to buy rotisserie chickens with benefits.

400K voters cast ballots early

Nearly 400,000 Ohioans cast ballots early ahead of Election Day today. A total of 136,867 absentee ballots by mail have been returned, and 263,051 early in-person votes have been cast.

“From voter registration information to absentee and early voting data, Ohio continues to set the standard for election transparency,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said in a release. “For Ohioans planning to cast their ballot on Election Day, visit VoteOhio.gov to view your sample ballot or confirm your polling location, and remember to bring your photo ID and a smile.”

State: Hate Michigan, search for unclaimed funds

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds wants Ohioans to claim their money, and they’re using the Buckeyes’ upcoming showdown on the gridiron with the state up north to do so. Ohio residents can search for unclaimed funds at unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov; state officials have also allocated a portion of the funds to a new Cleveland Browns stadium.

“Every year, millions of dollars go unclaimed simply because people don’t know about it,” Susie Wagner, outreach supervisor for the Ohio Division of Unclaimed Funds, said in a release. “This fun challenge aims to change that by educating and engaging residents of both states while tapping into the excitement of the rivalry.”