By Asia Nail
The Truth Reporter
From potholes and property taxes to schools and public safety, a conversation with Ohio Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson explores how government decisions reach our front doors, and why understanding your ballot matters.
Ever complained about a pothole so deep it feels like your car needs a passport? Or wondered why that abandoned property down the street keeps collecting trash? Maybe you’ve noticed your housing costs creeping up while your paycheck stays about the same. It’s frustrating, and it raises a fair question: Who makes the decisions that affect our everyday lives?
Government can feel distant until a decision hits close to home. The condition of a neighborhood, the quality of local services and the way schools receive funding all connect to decisions made by elected officials. Knowing who handles what helps us understand where to turn when we have questions or concerns.
Ohio Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson has seen that connection from both sides of the table. A Democrat representing Senate District 11, she served as Toledo’s mayor from 2015 to 2018, becoming the city’s first African American woman to hold the office. Today, her experience in local government continues to inform her work at the Statehouse.
In a conversation with The Sojourner’s Truth, Hicks-Hudson discusses neighborhood investment, education, helping residents navigate government services and the importance of representation. Her perspective opens the door to a question many people ask, even if they don’t always say it out loud: What does all this government business actually have to do with me?
The Issues Outside Your Front Door
For Paula Hicks-Hudson, public service means more than passing laws or casting votes at the Statehouse. Sometimes, it means helping one person find their way through a difficult moment.
She recalls a constituent who received assistance from her office and later told her the support “brought him sunshine when he was in a very dark place.”
That’s a powerful reminder that government isn’t always about big announcements or heated debates on television. Sometimes, it’s about someone getting the help they need when they don’t know where else to turn.
For many residents, the biggest concerns aren’t playing out in Washington. They’re happening right down the street. Hicks-Hudson says people bring concerns about overgrown lawns, illegal dumping, trash and old tires left behind. These problems may not make national news, but the people living with them see the impact every day.
But ask the people who live next to an abandoned property, and those problems don’t feel small at all.
They affect how people feel about their streets, their homes and the community they call their own.
Housing and education also remain important parts of Hicks-Hudson’s approach to state government. She believes Ohio has a responsibility under its constitution to fund public schools adequately. She also wants students to have a clear path from early childhood education to college or job training, with opportunities to prepare for what comes next.
One accomplishment Hicks-Hudson has championed is expanding opportunities for young people through urban agriculture. She sponsored legislation to establish the Urban Farmer Youth Initiative, a program designed to give young people hands-on experience with farming and agricultural education. The effort connects classroom learning with practical skills while supporting access to fresh food and green spaces in urban communities.
Voters will encounter different proposals and perspectives on these issues. Understanding which officials have a say in those decisions is a good place to start.
Wait, What Does a State Senator Do Again?
Let’s be honest. Most of us hear a lot about the U.S. president. State government doesn’t always get the same attention, even though its decisions can have a direct impact on our lives.
Think of government as a set of different toolboxes. City officials handle many municipal services. County officials oversee responsibilities and programs at the county level. State lawmakers create state laws, approve budgets and shape policies in areas such as education and transportation. Federal officials handle matters assigned to the national government.
Sometimes those responsibilities overlap. Still, one office can’t simply do the job of another.
Hicks-Hudson says people don’t always recognize how much state government influences their daily lives. That can leave residents wondering whom to call when something goes wrong or where to turn when they need help.
Start with a simple question: Is this a city problem, a county matter, a state issue or something handled by the federal government?
You might not know the answer right away. That’s OK. Finding out is part of becoming an informed voter.
Plot Twist: Your Voting District Can Change
Here’s something that can catch voters off guard: The boundaries of your voting district can change.
Many voters have raised concerns about Ohio’s redistricting process, which determines the boundaries of legislative districts.
Senator Hicks-Hudson says approximately 33,000 Toledo residents moved out of her Senate district and into another district before moving back two years later. According to her, those changes affect which state Senate race those residents can vote in.
“When district lines change, it can change who represents you and who you have the opportunity to vote for. People need to understand how those decisions affect them,” she explains.
Redistricting may sound like political insider business, but it has a very practical consequence. District boundaries help determine who represents your address. Change the boundaries, and you could have a different representative.
That’s why it’s worth checking your voter information rather than assuming your ballot will look the same as it did last time. This is especially important if you’ve moved or if district lines have changed.
Your address matters. It helps determine which candidates appear on your ballot and which elections you’re eligible to vote in.
A Little Homework Before Election Day
Ohio’s general election takes place Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and early in-person voting is underway. Getting prepared doesn’t have to mean spending hours buried in political news.
Start here.
First, check your registration. Visit the Ohio voter lookup tool to confirm your information and find your voting location. The registration deadline for the November election was October 5. If you missed it, you can still register or update your information for a future election.
Next, take a look at your ballot. Ohio’s official voting information page provides voter resources to help you prepare. Look at the offices and issues on your ballot.
Before you vote, spend a few minutes looking into the offices and the people running for them. What would each candidate like to change, and what have they done so far? Campaign ads and social media can be a starting point, but there’s more to the story. Take a look at their positions and public records, and see whether reliable sources back up the claims they make.
It also helps to know when and where you can vote. Ohio has early in-person voting, voting by mail and Election Day voting. The Secretary of State’s website lists the schedule, including voting hours and deadlines. On November 3, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you plan to vote in person, make sure you have an acceptable, valid photo ID that has not expired.
Finally, make a plan. Ohio offers early in-person voting, absentee voting by mail and Election Day voting. Check the official voting schedule for dates, hours and deadlines.
And if you’re unsure about something, your county board of elections is a reliable place to start.
Your Voice Starts With Knowing the Facts
Hicks-Hudson says her approach to leadership reflects lessons from her mentor, Edna Brown, a longtime Toledo public servant who served on City Council, in the Ohio House and in the Ohio Senate. Brown, who died in 2022, was known for working across party lines to find solutions for her community. She taught Hicks-Hudson the importance of listening, finding common ground and working across differences.
“You have to be willing to listen to people, even when they don’t agree with you. That’s how you find common ground and figure out how to move forward,” says Senator Hicks-Hudson
Those lessons matter beyond the Statehouse. Neighbors don’t always agree on what their community needs, and voters won’t always reach the same conclusions about the people or policies on their ballots. That’s part of democracy. We bring different experiences, concerns and hopes for the future to the table.
You don’t have to follow every political debate to become an informed voter. Start with what matters to you. Find out who makes those decisions. Ask questions. Read beyond the headline.
Your neighborhood may not literally appear on the ballot. But the people you elect help shape the policies that reach your street, your home and your family.
So the next time a government decision leaves you scratching your head, don’t stop at the frustration. Get curious. Find out who’s responsible and what your options are.
You might discover that the path from your front porch to the Statehouse is shorter than you thought.
Ohio Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (District 11), is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026, general election. Learn more about her background and career in public service in the Ohio Statehouse’s Gallery here.