The Highland County Board of Elections on Monday approved its final official count of Highland County votes cast in the 2018 General Election, and the results did not change the outcome of any contested race or issue.
The final official canvass showed 13,781 cards were cast in the election, representing 49 percent of Highland County’s 27,978 registered voters. Elections Administrator Steve Witham previously said he could not remember a midterm election where that level of turnout was demonstrated.
A five-year, 0.5-mill replacement levy for the Highland County Health Department proved to be the closest countywide issue, with unofficial election night tallies showing a 98-vote difference — 6,534 in favor and 6,632 against. The official count narrowed the gap to 72 votes, showing 6,697 against and 6,625 in favor.
In Hillsboro, a liquor option for the Hillsboro 1st Stop turned out close as well, with election night tallies showing 180 in favor of Sunday sales at the gas station and 148 against, a difference of 32 votes. Final results showed 183 in favor and 151 against, which kept the margin at 32 votes.
Approval of another liquor option, this one for Sunday sales at Highland Lanes in Hillsboro, was also secured in final results by 57 votes after election night totals showed a difference of 49 votes. According to the final count, 257 voted in favor of the liquor option and 200 voted against.
The following are the full official results from the Highland County Board of Elections:
Governor/Lt. Governor
Richard Cordray: 3,222
Mike DeWine: 9,942
Constance Gadell-New: 161
Travis M. Irvine: 275
Attorney General
Steve Dettelbach: 3,382
Dave Yost: 10,064
Auditor of State
Robert C. Coogan: 498
Keith Faber: 9,836
Zack Space: 3,016
Secretary of State
Kathleen Clyde: 3,220
Frank LaRose: 9,849
Dustin R. Nanna: 306
Treasurer of State
Rob Richardson: 3,222
Robert Sprague: 10,110
U.S. Senate
Sherrod Brown: 3,939
Jim Renacci: 9,526
Representative to Congress, 2nd District
James J. Condit Jr.: 185
Jill Schiller: 2,777
Brad Wenstrup: 10,585
State Senator, 17th District
Scott M. Dailey: 3,083
Bob Peterson: 10,273
State Representative, 91st District
Shane Wilkin: 10,559
Justin Grimes: 2,887
County Commissioner
Gary Abernathy: 8,585
Randy Mustard: 4,917
County Commissioner
Jeff Duncan: 10,107
John Dale Knauff: 3,337
County Auditor
Bill Fawley: 11,549
Justice of the Supreme Court, 1-1 term
Craig Baldwin: 5,163
Michael P. Donnelly: 5,916
Justice of the Supreme Court, 1-2 term
Mary DeGenaro: 5,602
Melody J. Stewart: 5,168
Justice of the Court of Appeals, 2-9 term, 4th District
Marie Hoover: 3,832
Jason P. Smith: 6,880
Judge of the Court of Appeals, 2-10 term, 4th District
Valarie K. Gerlach: 2,872
Mike Hess: 8,171
Judge of Highland County Court
Robert J. Judkins: 1,307
State Issue 1
Yes: 2,446
No: 11,135
Issue 8, Highland County Children Services renewal levy
For: 7,744
Against: 5,661
Issue 9, Highland County Health Department replacement levy
For:6,625
Against: 6,697
Issue 6, Great Oaks renewal levy
For: 6,527
Against: 4,931
Issue 4, Bright Local School District additional levy
For: 710
Aginst: 997
Issue 2, Brown County school financing additional levy
For: 3
Against: 15
Issue 3, Adams County/Ohio Valley LSD additional levy
For: 78
Against: 134
Issue 5, East Clinton Local School District bond tax levy
For: 171
Against: 221
Issue 7, Lynchburg Area Joint Fire and Ambulance District renewal levy
For: 1,285
Against: 403
Issue 10, Village of Lynchburg police renewal levy
For: 316
Against: 127
Issue 11, Brushcreek Township cemetery renewal levy
For: 258
Against: 168
Issue 12, Dodson Township cemetery renewal levy
For: 562
Against: 259
Issue 13, Hamer Township cemetery renewal levy
For: 175
Against: 101
Issue 14, Penn Township fire renewal levy, 1.8 mills
For: 344
Against: 182
Issue 15, Penn Township fire renewal levy, 2.15 mills
For: 328
Against: 199
Issue 16, Salem Township cemetery renewal levy
For: 202
Against: 97
Issue 17, Highland Lanes liquor option
Yes: 257
No: 200
Issue 18, Hillsboro 1st Stop liquor option
Yes: 183
No: 151
The board announced Monday that its offices will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 21 through Friday, Nov. 23 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570.
