Millions of Americans are making important decisions on Election Day. From gubernatorial and mayoral races to decisions about abortion access and legalizing marijuana, voters will lay out their future.
Ohio
Voters in Ohio will weigh in on two very important issues: abortions rights and the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Issue 1 asks voters if the state should reverse its ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
A "Yes" vote would allow doctors to legally perform abortions up until "fetal viability," which is generally around 22 weeks of a pregnancy.
A "No" vote would keep the current abortion law as is in Ohio.
Voters will also decide whether recreational Marijuana should be legal in Ohio.
A "Yes" vote on Issue 2 would allow Ohioans over age 21 to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana without penalty. It would also permit Ohioans to grow marijuana at home.
This is the second time this issue has gone up for a vote in Ohio. In 2015, over 63% of voters rejected a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana.
Kentucky
The governorship is up for grabs in Kentucky.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is seeking a second term in the normally red state. He's facing a tough challenge from Republican Daniel Cameron, who is the state's attorney general.
The two disagree on plenty of issues; however, they have found common ground in their support for the Second Amendment in a state that largely supports gun rights. Within that support, there are differences. Beshear supports so-called "red-flag laws," which are meant to prevent people who show signs they could harm themselves or others from getting guns. Cameron does not support the restrictions.
The two have also sparred over abortion rights and rights for the LGBTQ+ community.
The latest polls show Beshear with a slight edge going into election night, but the race is still considered extremely close.
Mississippi
Voters in Mississippi will also decide who will lead their state for the next four years.
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is seeking reelection. He has campaigned on his economic record, which includes the largest tax cut in state history. Under his administration, Mississippi also led the nation in improvements to math and reading scores in 2019, and graduation rates have continued to rise.
Mississippi utility regulator Brandon Presley is seeking a rare upset for a Democrat in the state. As a cousin of the late Elvis Presley, the Democrat has spent much of his campaign connecting with low-income and working-class families, sharing his struggles of being raised in the home of a widowed mother who worked a modest factory job to make ends meet.
Virginia
Voters in Virginia are deciding whether to create a unified government behind Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Heading into the election, Democrats hold a 22-18 advantage in the Virginia Senate. Meanwhile, Republicans have a 48-46 advantage in the House of Delegates.
All 40 Senate and 100 House seats are up for grabs on Tuesday.
The battle for Virginia's General Assembly is seen as a key litmus test heading into 2024.
Rhode Island
Despite being an odd year, voters in Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District will decide who will represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Democrat Gabe Amo and Republican Gerry Leonard are vying for the opportunity to serve the remainder of Rep. David Cicilline's term.
Cicilline resigned to become president of the Rhode Island Foundation.
If Amo wins, he would become the first Black person to represent Rhode Island in Congress.
Uvalde, Texas
The people of Uvalde, Texas, will elect its first new mayor since the May 2022 tragedy when a gunman killed 19 young students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.
One of the candidates is Kimberly Mata-Rubio, who lost her 10-year-old daughter Lexi Rubio in the tragic shooting.
Veronica Martinez is also running for the position. She is an art teacher at Dalton Elementary School.
If either of the women wins, they would make history as the first female mayor elected for the city.
Cody Smith is seeking to become mayor again. He was previously elected mayor in 2008 and 2010.
The Uvalde City Council approved the mayoral special election back in July after Don McLaughlin stepped down from the seat to run for the Texas House of Representatives.
Live election results
Scripps News will have special coverage on Election Night. Watch below.
