Mercer County voters approved a 0.5 percent sales tax to build a new jail by a razor-thin margin - with enough votes still left to be counted that the issue is still statistically a tossup.
In unofficial vote totals, 5,426 voters favored the sales tax while 5,356 voted against it. Elections officials could not immediately say Tuesday evening if the 50.32 to 49.68 percent margin (70 votes) would trigger an automatic recount. [More]
A Mercer County couple is wondering how many other residents received the wrong election ballots on Tuesday, as their daughter voted on the Montezuma mayor and village council race even though she doesn't live in the village.
Voters easily passed St. Marys City Schools' 6.9-mill bond levy with 61 percent in favor of a school construction project.
Actual vote numbers were: 2,511 for and 1,614 against.
The levy will bring in $25.75 million toward the $55 million project, with the Ohio School Facilities Commission funding the remaining $29.25 million. [More]
A couple of Celina residents on Lakeview Drive were upset and disappointed when they went to the polls Tuesday and were not allowed to vote on city issues.
Turnout for the general election was strong, but less than local officials originally had projected.
About 43 percent of Mercer County's 25,921 registered voters turned out on a blustery Election Day in unofficial vote totals. Elections officials had predicted turnout of 49 percent.
Celina Mayor Sharon LaRue and Auditor Emily Stewart swept to lopsided victories in Tuesday's election while Celina City Council incumbent Calvin "June" Scott also held onto his seat.
It was an upset on the Celina board of education as incumbent Tom Rable was unseated by newcomer Connie Paulus, who will join re-elected members Ken Fetters and Amy Hoyng and sitting members Cindy Piper and Matt Gilmore.
Current Coldwater village councilors Robert Fisher and Douglas Bertke both will serve another four-year term on council after taking the most votes in Tuesday's election.
A 1-mill replacement property tax levy for Tri County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services won broad support from Mercer County voters along with several other local fire and village tax issues on Tuesday.
The D-6 liquor permit that would allow Sunday sales of wine and mixed beverages at the Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Celina was approved by voters by a close count of 83 for and 80 against.
MARIA STEIN - It seems like former coaches around the Grand Lake area are never away from the bench for too long. Coaches seem to get back into their respective sport at sometime or another on one level or another.
