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LISBON -- The final results of the 2023 general election remained the same, with no need for recounts and a voter turnout of just over 50 percent, as predicted.
"That's a good turnout," Columbiana County Board of Elections board member Larry Bowersock commented.
The board certified the official results of the election, along with the votes from out of the county for overlapping districts in the county from Mahoning, Carroll and Jefferson counties for races in Washingtonville, Columbiana, Fairfield Township, Columbiana, Leetonia and Southern Local school districts, the county Education Service Center Governing Board and the issues in Washingtonville.
A total of 32,464 ballots were cast altogether, with 27,457 cast on Election Day, 1,820 mailed absentee ballots received, 2,943 cast in the board of elections office and 244 provisional ballots approved.
Board of Elections Director Kim Fusco said no races or issues were relatively close, so there was no need for any automatic recounts. She noted that in the village of Wellsville, there were four seats open on council and the two Republican incumbents Karen Dash and Martin Keith Thorne Jr. won re-election. Out of three write-in candidates, the two elected were Aaron Smith, a current appointed councilman, and Cindy Mick.
For the mandatory post-election audit, election officials will recount a number of precincts for state issues 1 and 2, with the board also choosing to recount a number of precincts for the Columbiana County Educational Service Center Governing Board member contest since it had the most precincts besides the state issues.
The board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 5 to approve the audit results.
The official tally of the general election and the precinct by precinct breakdown are both available on the board of elections website at columbiana.boe.ohio.gov.
During her director's report, Fusco advised board members the Board of Elections received appropriations of $654,000 from county commissioners for next year, which is an estimated $212,142 short of what they'll need, but routinely more funding is received later in the year.
Fusco said the commissioners have been very generous with the Board of Elections in the past. Board Chairman David Johnson said he's not worried about that, noting that commissioners usually appropriate more money later in the year once they see how the revenue is coming in.
Board members were also reminded of the need to complete their Secretary of State training credit hours, with Bowersock, Patricia Colian and Victor Maroscher all needing two more credit hours. The training is done online.