COLUMBUS — With less than three weeks to go before Ohio’s Aug. 2 primary/special election, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Friday that 44,407 absentee ballots have been requested by-mail or in-person for the state legislative and executive committee races and that 6,239 votes have been cast statewide in those same races.

Data were collected by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office via an informal survey of Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections. The information includes data reported by the county boards from the start of early voting on Wednesday, July 6 through the end of early voting hours on Friday, July 8.

“Despite the August 2nd primary not including any marquee statewide races, we’re seeing stronger turnout than expected across Ohio,” LaRose said. “Every election is important, and that is why it’s all the more imperative that we encourage our friends, neighbors and colleagues to participate in these decisions that will significantly shape our state’s future.”

Ohio voters will find the following races on their August 2 primary ballot:

• Ohio House of Representatives

• Ohio Senate

• Democrat/Republican State Central Committee

• Local issues and measures impacting their communities