Ohio voters choose a new governor on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in one of the most competitive statewide races in the country.

Democrat Amy Acton, a physician who served as Ohio's public health director during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, faces Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate. Libertarian candidate Don Kissick is also on the ballot, according to NBC News' results page.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine cannot run again because of term limits. Both Trump and DeWine have endorsed Ramaswamy, according to PBS NewsHour.

What's at stake

No Democrat has won Ohio's governor's race since 2006, the Associated Press reported. Ohio has backed President Donald Trump in three consecutive presidential elections, and Republicans hold all statewide executive offices and control both legislative chambers.

A Marist Poll of 1,176 Ohio registered voters, conducted Oct. 15 through Oct. 18, showed Acton leading Ramaswamy by seven points among likely voters, 50% to 43%. The margin of error for likely voters was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. Among independents likely to vote, 53% supported Acton and 34% supported Ramaswamy.

Time magazine reported that the Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the race to "Toss Up" from "Lean Republican."

The campaign

Both candidates have focused on lowering costs for Ohio families. Acton said as governor she would push for a tax cut for working families and help with health care costs by making drugs more affordable, Statehouse News Bureau reported.

Ramaswamy touted his work with his running mate, Senate President Rob McColley, to bring the Legislature back into session to pass a 90-day suspension of the state's fuel tax, the Statehouse News Bureau reported.

The race drew national attention after Ramaswamy's campaign released an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother. Acton was removed from her mother's custody at age 12 after her stepfather was indicted for raping her, PBS NewsHour reported. DeWine called for the ad to be taken down. Ramaswamy said the ad's planned run was over, according to PBS NewsHour.

When polls close and where to find results

Ohio polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 3, according to Signal Ohio. The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners, PBS NewsHour reported.

In the 2024 election, Ohio's first results came in at 7:36 p.m. ET. The state reached 50% of votes counted by 9:01 p.m. ET and 90% by 11:03 p.m. ET.

All 88 Ohio counties tend to release early and absentee voting results in the first update of the night, in most cases before in-person Election Day results, PBS NewsHour reported. About 35% of votes in the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Ohio were cast early or by absentee ballot.

Recounts in Ohio are automatic if the margin is 0.25% or less of the total vote in statewide races.

Live results will be available through NBC News, PBS NewsHour and the Ohio Secretary of State's data portal.