Campbell 4th Ward race is upset

CAMPBELL — Provisional and absentee ballot counts have delivered an upset in the 4th Ward city council race.

The addition of 14 votes boosted challenger Juanita Rich to a three-vote lead over incumbent Lewis Jackson Jr. Unofficial results, released late Nov. 6, had showed Jackson leading Rich by one vote.

As a result of the slim margin of victory, votes not entered through an electronic voting machine will be subject to automatic recount, according to Mahoning County Board of Elections officials.

But Jackson doesn’t expect future tallies to return him to the lead. Since the advent of electronic voting machines in Ohio, recounts involve only the physical recounting of provision and absentee ballots, which make up a small fraction of the total.

Jackson, who has served on council since 1999, said the narrow defeat is disappointing.

“We have so many things going on in the city that’s really positive,” said Jackson, 63. “I really wanted to stick around and watch things happen.”

For more, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com