With only 21.90 percent voter turnout, all precincts had reported for this year’s Portage County primary election just before 10 p.m., only 2 and a half hours after the polls closed, and unofficial final results came in by 11:07 p.m., only about three and a half hours after the polls closed. For comparison: in the 2012 primary, the Portage turnout was 24.69 percent, in 2010 it was only 20.95 percent and in 2008 (a presidential election year) it was 46.52 percent. 

Candidates

In Portage, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald began the night in the lead for Governor with more than 80 percent of votes and maintained that lead through to the end, beating relatively unknown Dayton candidate Larry Ealy with 84.23 percent of the vote. Reflecting statewide results, which with 96.38 percent of precincts reporting had FitzGerald leading with 83.14 percent, FitzGerald was cemented as Gov. John Kasich’s opponent in the fall.

By the second report, both Republican and Democratic Court of Common Juvenile/Probate Judge Candidate candidates were separated by a 17 percent lead, with Common Pleas Court Magistrate Bob Berger winning for the Democrats and Assistant Portage County Prosecutor David Brode winning for the Republicans. By the end of the night, Berger and Brode maintained that lead to face off in November.

Democratic Portage County Treasurer Vicki A. Kline and current Republican Sabrina Christian-Bennett will also go head-to-head in the fall for Christian-Bennet’s current title as Commissioner, beating Angelo A. Battaglia with 67.33 percent and Kristen Kline Morris with 64.50 percent, respectively.

Issues

Issue 10, the Portage Park levy passed with an 8.38 percent difference after five unsuccessful attempts since 1991 to pass. They levy approves a 0.5 mill tax, or the equivalent of $17.50 for a property a property with $100,000 market value, that will generate about $1.6 million annually for ten years for the Portage Park District to use for maintenance of parks, trails and related facilities as well as for nature conservation.

“We are so thankful to all the voters who supported our parks,” a press release from Citizens for the Portage Park District said. “We knew that if we communicated the current desperate situation that our county communities would rise up to support our parks. Portage County deserves a great park system.”

The renewal of Ohio State Capital Improvement Program, a constitutional amendment which was last renewed in 2005, passed with a difference of 14.44 percent. The amendment will allow the state to issue an additional $1.875 billion of general revenue bonds for local public works projects. When passed in 2005, it allowed the state to finance $1.35 billion for 10 years, and while it won’t raise taxes, the amendment is an increase in state borrowing and spending and Ohio will have to pay interest on those bonds.

All school district renewal levies passed, including Aurora City with 64.78 percent, Rootstown Local with 69.80 percent and Southeast Local by 69.80 percent. All school levies in which taxes would be added — Ravenna, Field, Mogadore and West Branch — failed. Notably, the Ravenna School levy also failed in the November election.

Other notable issues include the Brimfield and Randolph townships, which both passed renewing and increasing tax levies for their respective emergency medical services. The city of Aurora passed a zoning map amendment to allow for the rezoning of about 660 aces around Geauga Lake from industrial zoning into a mixed-use zone similar to downtown Kent, and Nelson Township passed a Nelson Township Trustees resolution to alter the definition of family owned businesses and their guidelines, including operating hours, number of and size of signage and parking.

Contact Rebecca Reis at [email protected].

Live Results

Updated – 11:30 p.m. Unofficial Canvass FINAL Report – 100% precincts reporting, ballotscounted

See below for descriptions of issues.

For more election results, visit http://www.co.portage.oh.us/election/.

Description of issues

Issue 1 – Constitutional Amendment to extend a previously existing bond program allowing the state to issue an additional $1.875 billion of general revenue bonds for local public-works projects such as repairing roads and bridges. The last time this issuance of bonds was approved was 2005, which allowed the state to finance $1.35 billion for 10 years.

Issue 2 – Ravenna City School District 4.9 mills additional tax levy to generate about $1.5 million annually. $600,000 per year will be used for improvements on existing buildings in the district other than the new high school and $900,000 per year will be used for school safety, technology and academic programming.

Issue 3 – Aurora City School District 7.5 mills renewal tax levy to generate about $707,000 annually for five years commencing in 2014 to pay down the bonds used to construct Leighton Elementary, repair roofs, purchase buses, replace carpeting at Craddock Elementary and repair parking lots and roadways at all facilities.

Issue 4 – Field Local School District 7.5 ills additional tax levy to generate about $2.8 million annually for five years commencing in 2014, 6.5 mills of which is designated to restore services that have previously been reduced including art, music and physical education at the elementary level as well as bussing. One mill will be improvement money for repair and maintenance.

Issue 5 – Mogdore Local School District 5.9 mills additional tax levy to generate approximately $496,000 annually for a continuing period of time to offset the $1.6 million the district is losing annually due to the elimination of personal property tax.

Issue 6 – Rootstown Local school District 2.5 mills reneal tax levy to generate approximately $338,000 annually for five years commencing in 2014 to improve existing facilities.

Issue 7 – Southeast Local School district 8.66 mills renewal tax levy to generate approximately $1.9 million annually for four years commencing in 2014 to be used for updating technology and safety equipment, purchase buses and textbooks and other instructional expenses.

Issue 8 – West Branch Local School District  0.75% income tax to generate about $2 million annually for five years commencing in 2015 to make up for a decline in state funding, as well as $400,000 earmarked for permanent improvements.

Issue 9 – Mantua-Shalersville Fire District 0.9 mills renewal tax levy for about $161,000 annually for five years commencing in 2014 to purchase equipment for firefighters and emergency medical vehicles.

Issue 10 – Portage Park District 0.5 mill additional tax levy to generate about  $1.6 million annually for ten years commencing in 2014 to operate and maintain parks and trails, conserve natural areas for water quality and wildlife and open park lands already owned.

Issue 11 – Aurora City Zoning Map Amendment to rezone about 660 acres around Geauga Lake to to a mixed-use district from its  current industrial zoning.

Issue 12 – Brimfield Township 1.7 mills renewal and increase tax levy for emergency medical services to generate about $191,000 annually for five years commencing in 2014.

Issue 13 – Nelson Township Referendum on Township Zoning to adopt Nelson Township Trustees Resolution 118-2013 which would alter the definition of family owned small businesses and establish guidelines for the operation of those businesses.

Issue 14 – Paris Township 1 mill additional tax levy to generate about $31,000 annually for five years commencing in 2014 to use for current expenses.

Issue 15 – Randolph Township 2 mills renewal and increase tax levy to generate about $205,000 annually for five years commencing in 2014 for Emergency Medical Services.

Issue 16 – Ravenna Township Precinct D Local Option to allow the sale of beer, wine and mixed beverages on Sunday between the hours of ten a.m. and midnight at B and T Convenient Marketplace on State Route 59.

Issue 17 – Shalersville Township Precinct Local Option to allow V Food and Beverage to sell wine and mixed beverages.