Sharonville residents will pick a new state senator on Nov. 3 after term limits forced out the district's Republican incumbent.
The seat is open.
Ohio Senate District 7, which covers all of Warren County and parts of Hamilton County including Sharonville and Blue Ash, will feature Republican Zac Haines against Democrat Cara Jacob, the Journal-News reported. Sen. Steve Wilson, R-Maineville, cannot seek reelection because of term limits. The seat is one of 15 Ohio House and Senate contests area voters will decide in the November election.
Who's running
Haines, an entrepreneur from Symmes Township, is CEO of the DPA Buying Group and completed a nine-year appointment on the Miami University Board of Trustees, according to the Dayton Daily News. He won the May 5 Republican primary, defeating Kim Lukens.
Haines has made property tax reform a centerpiece of his campaign. He has pointed to Ohio's nearly $24 billion in annual property tax collections, a figure he said exceeds what the state collects from income taxes (about $11 billion) or sales taxes (around $14 billion). He supports expanded homestead exemptions and an absolute ceiling on property tax payments.
Haines said he wants to deliver "real, lasting solutions that lower tax burdens for everyone and keep our schools and local governments strong," according to written responses he gave the Dayton Daily News in April, ahead of the primary.
He has also identified Ohio's slow population growth, aging workforce and declining birthrates as challenges, calling for lower taxes and a more predictable regulatory environment to attract employers and families.
Jacob, a University of Cincinnati neurologist, ran unopposed in the May 5 Democratic primary, according to Ballotpedia. Her campaign website says she is focused on public education, lower healthcare costs and supporting working families. Jacob's campaign has not made public statements specific to Sharonville or Hamilton County.
How to vote
The voter registration deadline is Oct. 5. Early in-person voting begins Oct. 6 and runs through Nov. 1. Absentee ballot requests must be submitted by Oct. 27, according to WYSO.
Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
