Expect Tuesday's primary election to be a little different. While officials expect low turnout, those who do show up to vote in Portage County elections will receive paper ballots.

Democratic voters in only one town will decide on candidates, but every voter will see issues on their ballot.

We're explaining five things to know about the May 6 primary election.

1. Low voter turnout

Only 25% of Portage County's registered voters are expected to cast ballots in the primary, according to Faith Lyon, director of the Portage County Board of Elections.

Lyon said the board was making the projection based on early absentee voting, which has been ongoing since early April. Although voters will decide many local contests in the November general election, most either didn't draw enough candidates to trigger a primary or are non-partisan races that don't have primaries in May.

Every voter in Portage County will be able to vote on issues, however.

2. What issues will voters face?

Declaring a political party will not be required for the primary election.

Voters in every precinct in Portage County can request an issues-only ballot. State Issue 2, a proposed amendment to Ohio's constitution, will be on the ballot. The issue would allow the state to float bonds for up to 30 years for public infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, wastewater treatment systems, water supply systems, solid waste disposal facilities, stormwater and sanitary collection, storage and treatment facilities, according to The Columbus Dispatch .

Three school districts in Portage County also will be seeking additional funding.

In Ravenna school district, where voters have turned down four consecutive requests for new money, they'll see Issue 12, a 5.47-mill, five-year levy for emergency requirements. The levy, which would generate $2.75 million a year, would cost homeowners $192 per year per $100,000 in home value.

Streetsboro City Schools' voters will be asked to pass Issue 13, a 5.0-mill continuing levy for emergency requirements. The levy would generate $3.885 million a year, and cost homeowners $175 per year per $100,000 in home value.

Voters in Mogadore Local School District, which has residents in Portage and Summit counties, will be asked to pass a 5.93-mill, six-year emergency levy "to avoid an operating deficit." The levy would cost $208 per year per $100,000 in home value. It is the fourth trip to the ballot for Mogadore.

Voters in Springfield Local School District, which also overlaps into Portage County, will be asked to pass two renewals − one at 2.74 mills and another at 7 mills.

Some Portage County voters also will consider a 1-mill bond issue for the Akron-Summit County Public Library that would generate $1.6 million and cost $35 per year per $100,000 in home value.

Brimfield voters will decide on two levies for roads and bridges − a 0.95-mill levy that generates $262,000 annually and costs homeowners $18 per year per $100,000 in home valuation; and a 1.9-mill levy that generates $546,000 annually and costs homeowners $38 per year per $100,000 in valuation.

Hiram voters will be asked to pass a replacement levy for roads and bridges, a 3-mill levy that would generate $363,000 annually and cost homeowners $105 per year per $100,000 in home valuation.

Local liquor options are on the ballot in Kent, Brimfield and Garrettsville.

3. Who's on the ballot?

The only town that has candidates on the ballot is Kent, which has democrats running for its three at-large seats on City Council. Derek Salustro, Michael Thrasher, Benjamin Tipton, Tracy Wallach and Sarah Elizabeth Wesley. The three who secure the most votes will face off with Republican Cecil Anderson in November.

The mayoral contest in Kent also will be on the ballot. So far, the only candidate to seek the office is Democrat Jack Amrhein, who has served on City Council for 17 years, nine as president pro tempore, which means he can serve as acting mayor if Jerry Fiala is unavailable. Fiala is an independent and has until May 5 to decide whether to run again.

Some Brimfield residents overlap into Tallmadge, and can cast ballots in the Democratic primary for Tallmadge City Council. There are four Democrats on the ballot − Jessica Epstein, Lindsay Cammel Halm, David Kline and Tracy Pletcher. There are no Republicans seeking the office.

4. Still have an absentee ballot?

Voters who are still hanging onto their absentee ballots are running out of time to mail it or bring it to the Portage County Board of Elections' office in Ravenna.

Absentee ballots can be mailed to the Board of Elections office, and must be postmarked no later than May 5. Mailed ballots must be received by May 10, regardless of how early they are postmarked.

The absentee ballots also can be delivered by hand to the Board of Elections office, located on the first floor of the Portage County Administration Building, 449 S. Meridian St. in Ravenna. Those delivered this way must be received by 7:30 p.m. May 6.

5. Paper ballots for this election

Remember paper ballots? Portage County residents will vote in an old school fashion on May 6.

"Portage County is one of the counties required to use paper signature and poll books this election in lieu of our electronic pollpads," Lyon said. "This decision was at the direction of the Secretary of State."

Sunday is the last day for in-person, early voting at the Portage County Board of Elections, which will be open 1 to 5 p.m. Voters will only be able to cast ballots in-person at their polling place on May 6. Voters can find a list of polling places or look up their polling place on the Board of Elections website.

Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at [email protected].