Politics

Democrat Aftab Pureval did something Tuesday night that seemed impossible for the past few generations of Democrats in Hamilton County – he defeated a Winkler in an election.

Democratic challenger Denise Driehaus barely edged out Republican incumbent Dennis Deters Tuesday night for a seat on the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. 

One of Northern Kentucky's long-standing political figures,  Joe Meyer, has ousted incumbent Sherry Carran as the mayor of Northern Kentucky's largest city.

NPR reporters are updating this breaking news blog in real time as results come in from around the country.

The NPR Politics team and member station reporters are providing live updates, pictures, video, commentary and analysis.

New stories will populate at the top of the page. Get a more in-depth look at each one of these races by clicking the “View Results” link in the top right of the blog.

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Alright, admit it – you've seen the TV ads with the earnest looking young man talking seriously about what he would do if he were elected to be Hamilton County's clerk of courts.

You've seen the duck puppet pop up in the middle of those ads from time to time to squawk "Aftab!" Sort of like the duck in the Aflac commercials.

And, admit it, those commercials have stuck in your head, like an ear worm of a song you can't help but hum to yourself all day. Aftab! Aftab! Aftab!

What is Issue 44 about?

The Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) has not had a new levy since 2008 and could be facing large deficits in the near future.  A coalition of educators and people in the social service sector called Cincinnati Preschool Promise had been talking in recent years about how to pay for pre-school for every 3- and 4-year-old child in the area.

Obviously, the battle for the White House is at the very top of this year's election fight card.

But coming in a not-too-distant second is a battle that has been brewing since the 2014 election, when Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate after eight years of the Democrats being in power.

At the beginning of the year, Democrats could smell victory in the air – all they had to do was to flip four Republicans seats and they could retake control of the Senate.

That's still a possibility in next Tuesday's election, although it's a tough row to hoe for Democrats.

One of the most contentious races in the region is taking place in Covington, where voters in Northern Kentucky's largest city are choosing a mayor.

On one side is the incumbent, Sherry Carran, a former city commissioner who was first elected mayor in 2012; and on the other, Joe Meyer, a former state representative and state senator who headed the state's Education and Workforce Development Cabinet under former governor Steve Beshear.

Political types on both sides agree – the race for Hamilton County commissioner between Republican Dennis Joseph Deters and Democrat Denise Driehaus is the most fiercely contested and most costly race this year for any county office.

And, if the polling that is said to be out there is correct, it may also be the closest contest, the one that keeps everyone up late on election night waiting for an outcome – quite possibly into the wee hours of the morning after.