Catching Our Eye News Roundup, Sept. 24, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here.

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Catching Our Eye

• Militarizing American elections? NPR reports, “There’s growing concern that Trump may deploy the National Guard ahead of elections.”

With Election Day less than 50 days away, a growing number of Democratic lawmakers, retired military leaders and civil society organizations are seeking assurance from members of the Trump administration that the U.S. military will not be deployed to or around polling places — while also preparing for such a move to occur.

Having armed federal agents — like the FBI or Immigration and Customs Enforcement — or military troops near the polls is clearly barred by federal law, but President Trump and several other key officials have recently sidestepped direct lines of questioning around the issue.

Some have even suggested that such a presence might be necessary to ensure trust in the vote, a claim that voting officials across the United States deny. Those voting officials say they plan on administering the midterm elections as usual and have been working hard to assure voters that plans are in place if armed federal officials do show up.

• Medicaid. The Columbus Dispatch’s Samantha Hendrickson reports, “Auditor finds Ohio doled out Medicaid money for dead, ineligible Ohioans.”

Millions in Medicaid benefits were paid out for Ohioans who were ineligible for them, or even dead, according to a new interim report from the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office.

In total, the auditor’s office found over $2 million in fixed monthly payments made to medical providers for those who shouldn’t have had or didn’t need Medicaid benefits.

• Medicaid work requirements. Signal Cleveland’s Celia Hack reports, “Bracing for new Medicaid work requirements? Here’s the latest updates.”

Health advocates, hospital systems and Ohio residents on Medicaid are all bracing for one thing in coming months: new work requirements for people getting government-sponsored health insurance.

• Police drones. The Dayton Daily News’ Avery Kreemer reports, “New Ohio law limiting police drone use in effect next month.”

Starting Oct. 6, Ohio will have a new law in place regulating law enforcement’s use of drones, including blocking lethal weapons and requiring warrants for drone surveillance.

“This law is the next logical step in ensuring public trust when our law enforcement and public safety agencies are using the technology provided through their tax dollars,” said state Rep. Bernie Willis, R-Springfield, in a press release announcing the forthcoming law.