- Unofficial 2019 General Election Results - 

DOVER BOARD OF EDUCATION - The unofficial results are in for Dover’s school board race. It was Kyle Stemple, Michael Studer and John Maxwell coming in with the popular vote. Stemple, a challenger in this race, pulled 1,912-votes to take the first open seat. Fellow challenger Michael Studer has the second-highest voter approval with 1,783 votes and the one incumbent keep their seat in this Dover school board election cycle was John Maxwell with 1,722 votes. Jeannine Kennedy and Randy Longacher will turn over their positions on the board at the beginning of 2020.

MAYORS RACES

STRASBURG residents are going to be under new leadership. Challenger Steven Smith collected 263-votes to unseat current mayor John Bitikofer who collected 183 votes. That was a three-way mayor’s race, with write-in candidate Marty Zehnder collecting just 64 votes.

MIDVALE voters are bringing in a familiar face to the mayor’s position. Former Mayor Larry Kopp has unseated incumbent Donna Kohler 80-votes to 31. Kopp says he’d like to install a long-term plan as mayor to move village hall and allow the police and fire departments to expand.

ZOAR voters chose to keep their village leadership intact for another mayor’s term. Incumbent Scott Gordon beat out write-in candidate Judy Meiser by a final tally of 50-to-39 votes. That leaves him with an unofficial 11-vote margin per the unofficial numbers.

MINERAL CITY - It was Laurie Green gathering the most votes in Mineral City’s mayor’s race. Green was a challenger facing Julie Knecht this election to take Richard Cain’s position in 2020. Green received 60 votes to Knecht’s 43, winning by a 17-vote margin.

GNADENHUTTEN voters have chosen a new mayor this general election. Rich Gilmore gathered 202-votes from fellow residents, enough to overtake incumbent John Heil who collected 92 votes Tuesday. Gilmore, a retired business management consultant, says he wants to improve the village infrastructure over the next four years in office.

BALTIC residents of Baltic will have a new mayor in 2020. Lana Guisinger steps out of office December 31st and voters chose Keith Ely to take over that role. Ely beat challenger James Grove by a final tally of 92 to 20.

ISSUES

PORT WASHINGTON voters didn’t agree with a half-percent sales tax in the village. Voters turned down the issue Tuesday by a vote of 48-to-35. The tax was expected to raise about $25,000 a year for street maintenance.

BARNHILL officials say they are still heading towards fiscal emergency after village voters turned down a 5-year, 5-mill levy at the ballot box. The levy was expected to generate about $10,000 for operating expenses but failed in Tuesday’s election 22-to-7. Fiscal Officer Jan Aldergate says without any cuts, they are heading towards fiscal emergency forecasted by 2021 now.

SUGARCREEK TOWNSHIP voters are supporting their safety forces this election cycle. Residents approved a 1.8-mill replacement levy for fire and rescue services in the region 132-votes to 40. The tax will raise about $95,000 a year and Trustee Ed Wilson says it will go to good use while also preserving funds for other projects.

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