Kensington, Ohio Public Records

Standard office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, though the office extends those hours before major elections. Ohio residents can register to vote online through the Ohio Secretary of State's website at www.ohiosos.gov/elections using the Online Voter Registration system, which requires an Ohio driver's license or state ID number. Registration must be completed or postmarked at least 30 days before any election. New residents have several options: they can register in person at the Board of Elections, by mail, or at various state agencies including the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The state requires voters to provide their name, date of birth, current address, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. Because Kensington is an unincorporated community without its own municipal government, residents don't vote for city council members or a mayor. Instead, local governance comes through Madison Township trustee and fiscal officer elections, held in odd-numbered years during the November general election. Madison Township operates under a three-member Board of Trustees elected to four-year staggered terms, along with a Fiscal Officer elected to a four-year term. County-level offices appearing on ballots include Columbiana County Commissioners (three members, staggered four-year terms), Sheriff, Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder, Clerk of Courts, Coroner, Engineer, and Prosecuting Attorney, all elected in November general elections of even-numbered years on a staggered schedule. State legislative representation includes an Ohio House of Representatives district and an Ohio Senate district, with House seats contested every two years and Senate seats every four years. Federal representation includes U.S. House of Representatives (every two years) and U.S. Senate (six-year terms, staggered). In the November 5, 2024 presidential election, the county recorded The area has trended Republican in recent decades, delivering substantial majorities for GOP candidates in most countywide races.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Kensington voters are published by the Ohio Secretary of State Elections (https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/). All 99 Ohio House of Representatives seats will be contested for two-year terms. At the Columbiana County level, depending on the election cycle, several Columbiana County offices will be up for grabs, potentially including County Commissioners, Sheriff, and other countywide constitutional offices. Madison Township trustee positions may also appear on the ballot depending on term expirations. Voters can find their specific polling place using the polling location lookup tool on the Columbiana County Board of Elections website or by calling the office. Polling places are assigned by precinct based on residential address, and local residents typically vote at Madison Township Fire Department or another nearby community facility designated for their precinct. Ohio election records are largely public under state law. Voter registration lists are public records available for purchase by campaigns, political parties, and researchers. Individual voter history, which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted, is also public. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political action committees are filed with the Ohio Secretary of State and county boards of elections and are searchable online at www.ohiosos.gov/elections. Candidate petition filings, ballot issue petitions, and precinct-level election results are all public records available through the Columbiana County Board of Elections. Ohio voters may request absentee ballots for any reason; applications are available online at the Board of Elections website or by calling (330) 424-9511 extension 1550. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Saturday before Election Day (for mail ballots) or by the close of polls on Election Day (for in-person absentee voting at the Board of Elections office). Ohio offers early in-person voting at the Board of Elections office beginning approximately four weeks before Election Day, with extended hours in the final week including some evening and weekend hours. Military and overseas voters have special provisions under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), and can request ballots electronically.