PORT CLINTON, Ohio — Ottawa County voters backed Republican candidates in the top statewide races on Tuesday, Nov. 3, even as Democrats won those races statewide, according to the unofficial summary from the Ottawa County Board of Elections. The board reported 19,458 ballots cast out of 29,855 registered voters — turnout of 65.18 percent — with all 36 precincts reporting in its 8:58 p.m. election-night summary.
For governor, the county gave Republican Vivek Ramaswamy 10,052 votes, or 52.29 percent, to 8,378 votes, or 43.59 percent, for Democrat Amy Acton, with Libertarian Don Kissick at 773 votes, according to the Ottawa County Board of Elections. Acton won statewide. In the U.S. Senate special election, the county gave Republican Jon Husted 10,362 votes, or 53.85 percent, to 7,932 votes, or 41.22 percent, for Democrat Sherrod Brown, the board reported. Brown won statewide.
The county also favored the Republican for Congress, while the Democrat won the district. In the 9th District, Republican Derek Merrin received 10,555 Ottawa County votes, or 54.97 percent, to 8,599 votes, or 44.78 percent, for Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, according to the Ottawa County Board of Elections. District-wide, the Associated Press reported Kaptur defeating Merrin by 159,306 votes to 142,830, winning a 23rd term.
On statewide Issue 3, the proposed constitutional amendment to require voter identification, Ottawa County voted yes by 13,826 votes to 5,305 votes — 72.27 percent to 27.73 percent — according to the Ottawa County Board of Elections. Issue 3 passed statewide. In the secretary of state race, the county backed Republican Robert Sprague with 10,707 votes to 7,616 votes for Democrat Allison Russo, who won that office statewide, the board reported.
At home, Republican Donald A. Douglas won county commissioner with 11,228 votes, or 59.51 percent, to 7,639 for Democrat Susan Mulligan, according to the Ottawa County Board of Elections. Republican Katherine Adams won county auditor, 10,814 votes to 7,892 for Democrat Michelle Kreager. Voters renewed the Ottawa County tax levy, 11,096 votes to 7,842, and the Port Clinton tax levy, 1,283 to 771, the board reported. Genoa school voters narrowly renewed levies for current expenses, 1,936 to 1,724, and for education technology, 2,030 to 1,623.
None of these results is final. The Ohio Secretary of State states on its Ohio Decides site that results are unofficial until it certifies them, and that the official canvass is completed approximately three weeks after the election. Eligible military and overseas absentee ballots have up to four days after Election Day to arrive and be counted, and qualifying provisional ballots will be considered during the canvass, the Secretary of State notes.
What happens next is the Ottawa County canvass. The board of elections will review provisional and timely absentee ballots, complete its official canvass, and certify the county results in November. The Secretary of State will then review the county reports before statewide certification, when these unofficial margins become official.
Photo: LeeG7144, CC BY-SA 3.0