Hardin County Democrats on Saturday got a chance to hear from two people who will be near the top of their election ticket. Frances Strickland, wife of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland, and Supreme Court candidate Cynthia Rice were featured speakers at the Democrats’ Presidents Day Luncheon at Walnut Grove Church.

Absentee early voting begins today in Ohio for the March 15 primary election. Voters may cast their early ballots at the Hardin County Board of Elections office in the basement of the courthouse.

Two incumbent Hardin County Commissioners will face challenges to keep their seats in 2016. Ed Elliott will face fellow Republican Robert Carder in the March 15 primary. No Democrat returned petitions to appear on the ballot for the Jan. 3 seat.

Randy Rogers filed petitions this week seeking re-election as a Hardin County commissioner in the Republican primary on March 15, 2016. Rogers, of Kenton, is serving his first four-term term.

While the 2015 election season wrapped up Tuesday, the 2016 campaign is already attracting Hardin County candidates. Filing to run for one of the two county commissioner seats in the Republican primary is incumbent Edward Elliott who will be opposed by Robert Carder. Elliott will be seeking his fourth term.

The three contested mayors’ races in Hardin County were not even close. Kenton Mayor Randy Manns had little opposition at the polls Tuesday. Manns was the only candidate to have his name appear on the ballot, but he was challenged by write-in candidates Joe Hord and John Alexander.

The three state issues Tuesday’s ballot had varying results with Hardin County voters, as did local tax issues. Issue 3, which would have legalized marijuana sales in Ohio, was soundly defeated in Hardin County, which was a reflection of the state results.

FOREST — While Hardin County residents went to the polls to decide their local leaders, the park board members in Forest were tallying the results of a month-long vote. Residents were asked to consider six options for the future of the town’s municipal swimming pool.

Most incumbents were returned to their school board seats in Tuesday’s election. The lone exception was in Ada, where member Jennifer Hiester placed fourth in the race for three seats.

Each of the county’s townships elected a fiscal officer and a trustee in Tuesday’s elections. The results on the contested races follow: Blanchard fiscal officer - Bethany Driskill, 213; Elwanda Hastings, 117 and Christine Lawrence, 108.