Election 2020: Tight race in Ohio for Trump and Biden, new poll says

Butler County voters walk into the board of elections office in Hamilton to cast an early vote ballot in the 2018 general election. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Credit: Michael D. Pitman

Butler County voters walk into the board of elections office in Hamilton to cast an early vote ballot in the 2018 general election. MICHAEL D. PITMAN/STAFF

Former Vice President Democrat Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump are running neck and neck in Ohio — a state that Trump won by 8 percentage points in 2016, according to a new independent poll from Quinnipiac University.

“With six weeks to go until Election Day and most minds made up, Ohio could hinge on a sliver of likely voters who signal they may have a change of heart and the 4 percent who say they are unsure right now who they’ll back. At this point, it’s a toss-up, said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Mary Snow in a written statement.

President Trump made two stops in Ohio this week, including a rally in Vandalia.

The survey of likely voters shows 48% support Biden while 47% support Trump. The margin of error of the poll is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

A Baldwin Wallace University Great Lakes Poll released this week shows Biden holds a commanding lead in Michigan and Wisconsin and is tied with Trump in Ohio and Pennsylvania. That poll surveyed self-identified likely voters.

Baldwin Wallace found between 33% and 49% plan to vote by mail and 88% report that they are somewhat or very confident their votes will be counted. Quinnipiac University pollsters found 35% of Ohio voters plan to cast ballots by mail and 16% say they’ll vote early in-person at their county boards of elections.

Baldwin Wallace pollsters also reported that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s approval ratings for how he has handled the COVID-19 crisis have dropped 8 points since March but remain high at 72%.

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