Three Key States Are Recounting Votes—You Won't Believe What This Means for the Election!

LISBON — In a remarkable demonstration of how every vote truly counts, the Columbiana County Board of Elections found itself in the unusual position of selecting a West Township trustee through a name-drawing from a jar. This decision came after both candidates, Elton Lowmiller and Martin Merrick, ended up with exactly 299 votes in the recent Nov. 4 general election. Lowmiller emerged as the winner when his name was drawn, a moment he humorously described as making "history."

The election results showed Glenn Whiteleather leading the race with 306 votes, followed by Lowmiller and Merrick in their tie. Incumbent Trustee Todd Wright received 274 votes, while Tiffany Tomer-Horton garnered 98 votes. David Johnson, Chairman of the Board of Elections, noted that in his 35 years on the board, tie-breakers have been rare, occurring only a few times. As mandated by Ohio law, the board opted for a lottery-style drawing rather than a coin toss.

During the drawing, each candidate's name was written on separate pieces of paper, displayed for both candidates to see, and placed into a jar. After a good shake by board member Greg Smith, Johnson picked one name without looking and announced Elton Lowmiller as the winner. The moment underscored the significance of voter participation, with Johnson stating, “So anybody who says ‘my vote doesn’t count,’ there’s a lot of races where one vote makes a difference.”

In addition to the West Township trustee race, the Board of Elections has ordered recounts for several other close races due to the tight margins, which were less than one-half of 1 percent. The recounts will take place starting at 9 a.m. on Monday and will include races for the Fairfield Township trustee and candidates for the United Local school board. Candidates and the public are welcome to attend these proceedings.

The recount process will involve a hand tally of at least 5% of the ballots for each race. For West Township, 742 ballots were cast, necessitating a hand count of 37 ballots from the selected West Township Bayard precinct, which contains 240 ballots. In Fairfield Township, where five candidates vied for two trustee seats, incumbent Bob Hum received 844 votes, while David Vollnogle came in close behind with 835. The narrow margin warranted a recount, with a minimum of 125 ballots to be recounted from the Columbiana East precinct.

For the United Local school district, which had 3,289 ballots cast, a recount will require a tally of 164 ballots, with the first precinct selected being Center Township South, followed by Butler Township North to meet the required total.

Kim Fusco, the Board of Elections Director, emphasized that these close races highlight the importance of every individual vote, reiterating the notion that even a single vote can sway an election outcome. The recounts will be conducted in bipartisan teams, ensuring transparency and fairness in the electoral process.

Other races in Perry Township, Salineville village council, and Lisbon village council were close but did not meet the criteria for automatic recounts. The Board of Elections also took care of administrative matters, certifying official results from overlapping counties including Mahoning, Carroll, and Jefferson.

As the board prepares for the recounts, they will also observe holiday hours, closing the office for the Thanksgiving holiday and for several days around Christmas, recognizing the hard work their employees put in during the election period.

In the world of local governance, events like these remind us all of the democratic principle that every vote matters, underscoring the importance of civic engagement in shaping community leadership.