Election season kicks off Labor Day weekend and this year’s election is packed with state issues, school levies and candidates.

Now that the Nov. 8 ballot is shaping up, here is a look at some of the most important and competitive races and issues facing area voters this fall. These are just some of the highlights, many other cities, townships and school districts have races and issues on the ballot.

State Issue 2 - Referendum on Senate Bill 5

Senate Bill 5, the state law curtailing collective bargaining rights for public employees, is on hold as voters decide whether to allow it to take effect or reject it. Supporters say the law gives public employers the ability to better control costs, while opponents say it unfairly deprives employees of their rights.

The bill prohibits public employees from striking, expands the list of matters that cannot be bargained, requires that employees pay specified portions of their health care and pension costs, generally eliminates salary schedules and steps and allows employers to impose contracts, according to the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.

A “yes” vote on State Issue 2 will cause the law to take effect and a “no” vote will repeal it.

21 school districts have levies

Twenty-one of 41 school districts in Montgomery, Greene, Warren and Miami counties will ask voters to approve tax issues. All but five of the tax issues are for additional money.

Among the area districts asking voters for tax increases are Huber Heights, Northmont, Northridge, Vandalia-Butler, Beavercreek, Xenia, Carlisle, and Piqua.

Dayton City Commission

Two political newcomers are challenging two incumbents for seats on Dayton’s City Commission. Independents William Pace and Mark Manovich are seeking their first elected office, while Matt Joseph is seeking a third term on the commission, and fellow Democrat Dean Lovelace is going for his sixth.

City commissioners will guide Dayton through a challenging budget process in the next few years, as the city expects to lose close to $15 million per year in state, federal and local funding.

State Issue 3 - Federal health care requirement

This proposed amendment to the state constitution seeks to exempt Ohioans from being required to buy health insurance under the federal health care reform law.

It would prohibit the state from making a similar requirement. Supporters of the amendment say people should have the right to choose whether or not to buy health insurance.

Opponents say that the state constitution cannot supersede federal law so the amendment is mostly symbolic.

A “yes” vote would add the amendment to the state constitution and a “no” vote would reject it.

Kettering City Council

In the area’s largest suburb, five challengers, including the co-founder and president of the Dayton Tea Party, are competing for three council seats. One of the seats is being vacated by longtime Councilman Keith Thompson. Those vying for Thompson’s Ward 1 seat include Nolan Thomas, David T. Brown, and Robert L. Scott III, who heads the Dayton Tea Party.

In Ward 2 Mike Brandt Jr. is challenging incumbent Joseph Wanamaker and in Ward 4 Lisa Crosley faces incumbent Bruce Duke.

The council faces several near-term challenges, including working to maintain and increase property values after residents saw an approximately $296 million decrease in property values compared to 2010.

County and community tax issues

Greene and Warren counties are seeking renewal of countywide levies and five cities or townships in Montgomery County are asking voters to approve tax issues.

Greene County voters will consider renewing a 0.5 mill, five-year hospital operating levy.

In Warren County voters will consider renewing two five-year issues – a 1-mill mental health services levy and a 1.21-mill senior services levy. Centerville, Englewood, Oakwood, German Twp. and Miami Twp. also have levies on the ballot, including requests for additional money in Centerville and Miami Twp.

Beavercreek Council

The Beavercreek city council elections will play out like a game of musical chairs with five candidates for four spots.

Incumbents Vicki Giambrone and Jerry Petrak and challengers Melissa Litteral, Deborah L. Sasser and Zach Upton will compete for four-year terms. In addition, the two people with the most votes will be elected mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

Dayton school board

Four candidates, including three incumbents, are seeking three seats on the board.

The district just received a “Continuous Improvement” rating on the state report card, up from the “Academic Watch” rating.

The school board will need to determine how to maintain academic achievement gains in the midst of budgets cuts that occurred in the spring.

Tipp City Council

A contentious race for three seats on the Tipp City Council is expected. Petitions were filed by incumbents Dee Gillis, John Kessler and George Lovett plus challengers Mike McDermott and Mike McFarland. Paul Lee, who was disqualified from the ballot, filed a protest now pending with the elections board regarding the candidate petitions of Gillis, Kessler, McFarland and McDermott.

Fairborn council

The filing deadline for council seats is not until Sept. 9, but city councilman and former mayor Thomas Nagel is the only person who has filed for mayor. Petitions have been taken out by Angil Corey, who has been passing out campaign literature that states she is a founder and chairwoman of “Citizens for Fairborn’s Future,” a nonprofit political action committee “dedicated to a fair and responsible city government.”

Carlisle mayor’s race

Carlisle Mayor Tim Humphries is being challenged by incumbent at-large Councilman Randy Winkler.

Humphries has been the center of a number of controversies since ousting former Mayor Jerry Ellender in the 2007 election.

Those controversies include being the subject of a 2009 police investigation when it was alleged he downloaded sexually explicit photos to his city-owned laptop but was not charged, an attempted recall effort as a result of the division caused by the allegations, and the filing of a $6.5 million lawsuit in October 2010 against the city.

Staff writers Mark Gokavi, Ed Richter, Jeremy Kelley, Jill Kelley, Margo Rutledge Kissell, Katherine Ullmer and contributing writer Nancy Bowman contributed to this report.