Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Ohio's 15th Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Mike Carey is seeking to hold his seat against Democrat Don Leonard.

As of the initial count, NBC News' live results tracker showed 0% of expected votes reported, with an estimated 289,000 ballots outstanding. Results will also be posted on the Ohio Secretary of State's data portal as counting continues.

This article will be updated with vote totals, percentages and a results table as official numbers come in.

The race

The district stretches across parts of Franklin, Madison, Fayette, Clark, Miami and Shelby counties, according to the Columbus Dispatch. In Franklin County, it covers parts of south and west Columbus, Grove City, Hilliard and Dublin. The district serves more than 780,000 people, ABC6 reported.

Three candidates appeared on the ballot, along with two independent write-in candidates, Gary Josephson and Samuel Ronan, according to 10TV.

Mike Carey, 55, has held the seat since winning a special election in November 2021. He serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Committee on House Administration, according to 10TV.

Don Leonard, 48, is a professor of city and regional planning at Ohio State University. He earned a Ph.D. from Cornell University and spent two years in the U.S. Peace Corps in South America, the Dispatch reported.

Brennan Barrington, 30, is the Libertarian candidate. He holds a degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Ohio State and works as a water meter technician, the Dispatch reported.

What analysts expected

The Cook Political Report labeled the race "Lean Republican," according to the Ohio Capital Journal. Donald Trump carried the district by about 10 percentage points in 2024, WLWT reported. Few reliable district-level polls had been conducted heading into Election Day, WLWT reported.

Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, told the Ohio Capital Journal: "If you see Carey or Turner lose, you know the (Democratic) wave is really on."

What comes next

The Associated Press will declare a winner only when it determines no scenario would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap, according to 10TV's explanation of the AP process. In Ohio congressional races, a recount is automatic if the margin falls below 0.5% of the total vote.