Thegatewaynews.com - Ballot recount needed in race for mayor's office

Art Scott

Glenn Broska

by Mike Sever

Record-Courier Staff Writer

Ravenna -- The Streetsboro mayor's race is one of several close ones in the county that will require a recount, according to the Portage County Board of Elections.

In the race for the unexpired mayor's term in Streetsboro, Acting Mayor Art Scott had 1,077 votes to 1,063 for Glenn M. Broska. Scott had a 28-vote lead on election night; the official count cut his margin in half, according to the board of elections, which certified votes Nov. 20. A recount is set for Nov. 30.

Scott said he knew going into the election Broska would be his strongest competition.

"I knew who my opponent was and did what I had to do to beat him," he said, predicting no change in the outcome resulting from the recount.

Broska said there were 14 provisional ballots that weren't counted, and he wants to understand why they weren't included in the total but said he'd "be back" if the recount doesn't go his way.

"I've learned a lot from this campaign, a whole lot," he said. "I wish Art the best. I hope he can do something to help the city."

Two tied elections were decided by coin toss Nov. 20.

Portage County Board of Elections Director Linda Marcial said the 14 uncounted provisional ballots were from people who were unregistered to vote, voting in the wrong precinct, and unable to provide identification.

Jerry Fiala won election over Kent's mayor over Rick Hawksley after the flip of a coin, according to the Portage County Board of Elections.

A tied election settled by a coin toss Friday morning put incumbent Karen Clyde on Garrettsville Village Council for another term.

Clyde was tied with incumbent Teri Eiermann in the final official vote count. She had led by three votes in election night tallies for the fourth open seat on Council.

That decisions on the tied races decided by coin flip will stand unless an automatic recount set for Nov. 301

changes the vote tally, according to the board of elections.

Ohio election law specifies how tie votes are to be resolved.

"This will probably turn out to be a very historic meeting," said elections board Chair Norman Sandvoss. It was the first time he could determine that two coin tosses were needed to resolve ties, he said. The last tie was in 1979 for a Streetsboro City Council race.

"In my 13 years on the board of elections we've never had to do this," Sandvoss said.

The ties in Garrettsville and Kent, along with close votes for Streetsboro mayor, Windham Village Council and Shalersville Township trustee will result in automatic recounts set for Nov. 30. Candidates can still contest the election results and request a recount, at a cost of $55 per precinct counted.

Before the final count, election officials said there was the possibility of seven automatic recounts.

The final countywide tally showed 45,113 of 108,706 registered voters cast a ballot for a 41.\ turnout.

The final tally added 555 provisional ballots and 71 absentee ballots to the election night count.