COLUMBUS — The results of two polls released on the eve of the 2010 general election show Republican challenger John Kasich with a slight lead over incumbent Ted Strickland in the race for the Ohio governor’s mansion. The true results of the race will be known later this evening once all the votes have been tabulated.

According to the Ohio Poll, which is sponsored by the University of Cincinnati, 52 percent of respondents say they will vote for Kasich today while 47 percent identify themselves as Strickland supporters. The Ohio Poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

The latest Qunnipiac University poll indicates the race is too close to call. It shows Kasich with a 47 percent to 46 percent edge. The margin of error for the Qunnipiac poll is also plus or minus 3 percent.

Polling has caused quite a stir in the governor’s race in 2010, with data showing the race neck and neck at times to one poll — released by Quinnipiac — showing Kasich ahead by 17 points. Both campaigns have been critical of some of the poll data throughout the campaign.

Ohio isn’t the only state where a Democrat incumbent is facing a tough reelection bid. Nationwide, a record 37 governor’s seats are being contested in this election year. President Barack Obama, concerned about Democrats maintaining their majority in the U.S. House and Senate as well as his own reelection bid in 2012, has been statehouse-hopping across the country in recent weeks. He has visited Ohio 12 times in 2010, emphasizing the importance to Democrats of keeping Strickland in Columbus.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, is also embroiled in a much tighter race than many pundits previously predicted. He is battling Bill Johnson, R-Poland, in the race for Ohio’s Sixth Congressional District seat. While Wilson was an easy winner in 2006 and 2008, Johnson, with backing from outside money, is apparently giving the incumbent a tough fight.

Recent polling shows former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, with a large lead over Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, D-Shaker Heights, in the race for the Ohio U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican George Voinovich, who is retiring. According to polls taken since mid summer, Portman has been ahead by as little as 4 points and as much as 24 points (Rasmussen Reports, Oct. 26). Fisher, in what is essentially an act of concession politically speaking, donated his last $100,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party on Saturday.

While some well-funded, third party candidates have made impacts elsewhere across the U.S., that has not necessarily been the case in Ohio, where the Democrats and Republicans continue to top the polling results. Third-party candidates have failed to make significant inroads in any of the statewide races for executive office or the U.S. Senate and U.S. House race in the Sixth District. However, the true impact of third party candidates won’t be known until all of the votes are tallied tonight.

Polling places across the Buckeye State are open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. today.