Aside from a printing delay of ballots cast at the Logan County Board of Elections office, Tuesday’s general election went smoothly, election officials said.
There were not complaints of voters having to wait too long to vote and people were respectful of protocols in place at the county’s 36 precincts.
Around 9:30 p.m., a notice from the board of elections reported that although all reporting precincts had been returned, a total of 11,179 ballots that were cast early at the board of elections office were taking longer “than normal” to finish.
That delay only lasted about an hour, and complete unofficial results were announced shortly after 10 p.m.
Poll workers were quick to get on the job and did a good job, the officials said. A total of 23,276 ballots — more than 72 percent of the county’s 32,221 registered voters — were counted Tuesday and 501 provisional votes will be counted Nov. 14 when the ballots are certified by the board. Any mail-in ballots postmarked Nov. 2 also will be counted that day.
In the race for U.S. President, the re-election of Donald Trump was overwhelmingly supported by Logan County voters, 17,625 to 4,990 for Joe Biden. Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) was easily re-elected, and was supported locally by a similarly large margin, 17,790 to 4,505 for Democrat Shannon Freshour.
As for local issues decided in Tuesday’s election, a McArthur Township fire renewal levy passed, 587 to 268.
Voters in Perry Township renewed a parks levy, 348 to 191. A Pleasant Township cemetery renewal levy was approved, 220 to 178. In DeGraff, voters renewed a cemetery levy, 315 to 234.
A Fire and EMS renewal levy in Bokescreek Township passed 395 to 199. A renewal levy for current expenses supporting the village of Zanesfield was approved 97 to 19.
A BMRT Ambulance District additional tax levy supporting current expenses was approved 707 to 627.
One levy request before voters was rejected Tuesday, as voters in Rushsylvania declined to support a replacement levy for current expenses by a tally of 102 for and 120 against the tax.
A Tri-Valley Fire District renewal levy for current expenses was approved 1,032 to 427.
A Flying Pepper Sunday liquor sales location option for the Third Ward in the city of Bellefontaine was approved, 347 to 88.
In the only contested local race in the primary during April, incumbent Logan County Sheriff Randall Dodds won the race and was running unopposed in the general election. He received 19,550 votes Tuesday, according to unofficial totals.
A number of unopposed races were on the Logan County ballot, including for county commissioner. Joseph M. Antram and Mark Robinson each were elected to full terms commencing Jan. 2, 2021, receiving 17,923 votes and 18, 311 votes, respectively, according to unofficial totals.
Prosecuting attorney Eric C. Stewart received 18,472 votes, and Clerk of Common Pleas Court Barb McDonald received 18,762 votes. County recorder Pat Myers received 18,541 votes, and County Treasurer Rhonda K. Stafford received 18,652 votes.
Scott Coleman was re-elected county engineer, receiving 18,565 votes. Coroner John C. O’Connor received 17,589 votes.
Logan County Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations/Probate/Juvenile Division) Judge Kim-Kellogg-Martin received 18,081 votes, and Logan County Court of Common Pleas (General Division) Judge Kevin P. Braig received 17,336 votes.
For state races, State Representative Jon Cross for the 83rd District received 2,628 votes in Logan County, and State Representative Nino Vitale for the 85th District received 15,194 votes in the county.
For the state board of education, Diana M. Fessler received 16,080 votes, and for the Third District Court of Appeals Mark C. Miller received 16,923 votes.