Caveat: Since this is politics, beware of the word “simple” in the first sentence above. Here’s a look at the key takeaways from this election.
Issue 1 abortion vote
The key sentence of the ballot measure that passed is “Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one’s own pregnancy, miscarriage care, and abortion.”
In a statewide vote, Ohioans approved Issue 1, granting abortion rights by a solid margin (56.3% to 43.7%). That result was very similar to August’s related vote on whether everyday Ohioans should keep this very power to change the state constitution via ballot issue. Neither was a close, down-to-the-wire vote.
Tuesday’s abortion rights vote was a constitutional amendment, so it’s harder for politicians who disagree with it to change it. But Ohio’s statehouse Republican leaders said late Tuesday they still plan to try.
Ohio Speaker of the House Jason Stephens said the legislature will work to explore multiple paths “to protect innocent life,” saying approval of abortion rights by a majority of Ohioans “is not the end of the conversation.”
State Senate President Matt Huffman said the 13-point margin from Ohioans’ ballots “isn’t the end. It is really just the beginning of a revolving door of ballot campaigns to repeal or replace Issue 1.”
For now, abortion is legal in Ohio.
Issue 2 marijuana vote
Issue 2 aimed to legalize recreational marijuana use for Ohioans age 21-plus, legalize limited home cultivation of marijuana plants and regulate the marijuana industry.
Ohio voters passed it by a margin very similar to the abortion vote (a wisp bigger at 56.8% to 43.2%).
But there’s a very big difference: this one is just a change in state law, not a constitutional amendment. So state legislators have fewer obstacles in their way to change Tuesday’s decision from Ohio voters.
State Senate President Huffman argued the law Ohio voters approved was written by the marijuana industry, and that the legislature “may consider amending the statute,” on multiple fronts, including THC limits and taxes.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Advocates for Issue 2 and and recreational marijuana use have said, given the work needed to set up the regulatory system, public sales might not happen until summer 2024. Given public comments, it would not be shocking if the state legislature (which is 70% Republican) moves to override changes to the law before then.
“I can’t believe in 2023 we’re actually talking about elected officials not respecting the will of the voters and not respecting the outcome of an election,” said Tom Haren, a spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which was a key group behind the ballot issue.
Mayors, city councils, school boards changing
The traditional election story line is, incumbents usually win unless there’s a noticeable reason for them to lose.
Well, a lot of people are looking for reasons today.
In Trotwood, Mayor Mary McDonald lost to Yvette Page, City Council member Robert Kelley was ousted by Denise Moore, and school board incumbent Craig Anderson lost by a wide margin to Aaron Lumpkin and Dionne Simmons.
Centerville councilman Duke Lunsford finished last in a four-way race for three seats where newcomer Jennifer McLaughlin was elected.
In Clayton, well-known incumbent councilman Dennis Lieberman lost by a wide margin to newcomer Ryan Farmer. In Englewood, the hopes of “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” mayor Tom Franz were shattered by challenger Cathy McGrail.
Some other communities got new leadership because incumbents didn’t or couldn’t run for re-election. Beavercreek’s new mayor (replacing Bob Stone) is current council member Don Adams, who solidly outdistanced challenger Joshua Ison.
In Fairborn, Daniel Kirkpatrick gets a second turn in the mayor’s seat with a 54-46 win over Kevin Knepp, replacing Paul Keller.
The change theme is certainly not the case everywhere, as Dayton City Commission incumbents Matt Joseph and Chris Shaw won comfortably. And Kettering school board will keep the same three incumbents (Kane, Richards and Lautar), as voters rejected a set of newcomers with different political priorities.
Tax levies for schools, police, parks and more
Of the five school districts seeking big increases in daily operating money, four saw their tax levy requests rejected — Centerville, Northmont, Vandalia-Butler and Milton-Union. Only in Oakwood did voters approve a large tax increase for school operations.
On the school facilities side, results were more mixed. Troy voters approved a tax increase to pay for the local share of new school buildings after previously rejecting a similar request. Greeneview voters overwhelmingly rejected their version of a school construction levy.
The Yellow Springs vote totals were unusual. The bond issue to pay for new school construction passed, according to the Greene County Board of Elections. But while the BOE’s results show nearly every other community in Greene County’s turnout over 40% and many over 50% or 60%, the Yellow Springs school levy turnout is listed at 23%. See below for more details about Yellow Springs election irregularities.
Among non-school tax levies, voters in Clayton rejected an income tax increase, those in Beavercreek rejected a tax increase to develop a huge new park, and Xenia Twp. voters said no to higher taxes for road repair.
Voters were more open to renewal levies, which keep tax rates the same but extend them for a longer period. Huber Heights voters approved a renewal income tax (after rejecting it in spring), Springboro also approved an income tax renewal, and Greene County voters OK’d renewal of three property tax levies to pay for children services, senior services and developmental disability work.
Election results struggles
The information you just read didn’t come easy Tuesday night.
** A series of errors with the Greene County Board of Elections meant results for both the Yellow Springs Village Council and a Cedar Cliff School Board race were not posted as of 3 a.m. Wednesday, and there were larger questions at play.
An original ballot for the Yellow Springs Village Council race that should have said “Vote for 3″ candidates, instead said “Vote for 2.” The Board of Elections cited a wrong date at the end of a council member’s term as the reason for the error.
Additionally, an error was discovered with an uncontested race for Cedar Cliff School Board, in which a candidate running for an unexpired term was listed as running for a full term, due to “human error,” board member Kim McCarthy said.
Both errors were discovered after early voting started, at which point ballot language could no longer be changed. It’s unclear whether the Yellow Springs error will cause further action on the race in question.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
** Election results from Montgomery County were delayed for multiple hours Tuesday night. The Board of Elections website had been updating slowly, then the file disappeared and there were no results at all on the BOE website for more than two hours. They were finally posted around 1:45 a.m.
It’s unclear what led to the results not displaying on the county website. Election officials were working in the tabulation room. An election official told a reporter posted outside the tabulation room that they identified an issue with the way results were displaying and would have updated results posted soon.
** Warren County, which is often the first local county to list complete election results, had a significant delay Tuesday night for its final precincts. Election officials said there was an issue with a poll worker removing a memory card from a voting machine before polls closed for the night.
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