Summary: Wayne County voters headed to the polls on Nov. 8 to have their voices heard on the dozens of races and ballot initiatives up for their consideration in the fall general election.
The voters of Wayne County turned out in large numbers to decide the fate of the dozens of ballot measures and races up for their consideration during the Nov. 8 general election.
According to the Ohio Secretary of States Office, of the nearly 3.6 million votes cast statewide 33,731 of those votes were cast in Wayne County. By posting a 44.76 percent voter turnout rate, Wayne County was just less than two percentage points behind the statewide rate of 46 percent.
According to unofficial election night results posted on the Wayne County Board of Elections web site, on the three statewide ballot initiatives Wayne Countys results mirrored those on the state level, though the margins were wider in Wayne County than the statewide results.
Issue 1, which sought to change the retirement age for judges, failed at both the state and county level. While approximately 62 percent of Ohios voters were against the measure, nearly 38 percent favored the changes. In Wayne County 12,184 voters cast their ballots in favor of the issue which 19,152 voted against it.
On Issue 2, which sought to limit certain collective bargaining rights for public employees, 61.33 percent of Ohios voters stood against the issue while 38.67 voted in favor. In Wayne County the margin of defeat was much closer as 17,876 voted against Issue 2 while 15,492 voted in favor of the initiative.
The sole statewide ballot initiative to pass in the fall general election was Issue 3, which makes it unconstitutional to compel any person, employer or health care provider to participate in a health care system. Wayne County voters overwhelming approved the constitutional amendment by a vote of 22,639 in favor and 9,783 against the measure. On a statewide level 65.63 percent of Ohios voters approved Issue 2 while just 34.37 percent withheld their approval.
The sole countywide ballot initiative before Wayne Countys voters was a request by the MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency for a .25 mil replacement levy. Issue 13 was approved by the local electorate by a margin of 18,677 in favor and 14,062 against.
The office of Judge of the Wayne County Municipal Court was the only countywide office up for grabs on Nov. 8. Incumbent Carol White Millhoan overcame a bid by challenger David Todaro to retain her set on the bench by a margin of 18,579 to 12,297 votes.
Voters in 14 cities, towns and villages in Wayne County were asked to select a mayor, while 13 municipalities elected members of their local city, town or village council.
In the race for Mayor of Wooster, incumbent Bob Breneman bested challenger Greg Gehris to win a second term in a race that saw Breneman take 5,415 votes to Gehris 1672 votes.
Incumbent David Handwerk will also continue on as Mayor of Orrville. Handwerk defeated challenger Denny Miller by a margin of 1846 to 517.
In the only other two contested mayor races in the county Bruce Biggs will become Shreves new Mayor while Dale Klinect was named Mayor of West Salem.
Citizens in all of Wayne Countys 16 townships also elected township trustees and fiscal officers for their respective townships.
Board of Education seats in all 10 of the public school districts in Wayne County as well as the East Holmes, West Holmes, Hillsdale, Tuslaw and Stark County districts were also up for grabs.
In the races for seats on the Wooster City School District Board of Education, all three incumbents - Robert Reynolds, William Gantz and Michael Steiner - will all continue to serve.
In addition to races for elected office and local options for liquor licenses, voters were also asked to decide the fate of a wide variety of levy requests.
Two local school districts – East Holmes and Hillsdale – have levy requests on the ballot. While the East Holmes levy request went down to defeat, the Hillsdale levy passed.
Of the ten Wayne County township, village and city levy requests before the voters to support police, fire, EMS, parks and cemeteries all but two were approved by the voters. Going down to defeat was an additional millage request for fire and EMS services in Dalton and a request by Shreve for additional property taxes.
For more information on the results in Wayne County log on to the Wayne County Board of Elections web site at www.votewayne.org. Information on statewide results can be found on the Ohio Secretary of States web site at www.sos.state.oh.us.
