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Every vote does count — just ask Berlin Township
By DAVID SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
Though a recount will be next week, the Berlin Township fire levy that was losing by one vote is now winning by one vote.
The Mahoning County Board of Elections discovered two early-voting paper ballots, both with “yes” votes for the levy, weren’t counted, said Thomas McCabe, its director.
The machines that count paper ballots missed these two votes because the ovals next to “yes” weren’t completely filled in, McCabe said.
But it is clear that the intent of the two voters, who had most of the ovals filled in, was to support the 2-mill, 5-year additional levy, he said.
With the two votes, the levy, to raise $87,535 annually, is winning 214 to 213.
The two uncounted votes were discovered Friday when elections employees were recounting early-voting paper ballots, McCabe said Monday.
Until then, the levy was losing 213 to 212.
The board met Monday to certify the May 4 primary election results.
The board will meet at 8 a.m. June 1 to do a hand recount of all ballots cast on the Berlin tax issue.
Issues that pass or fail by one-half of one percent or less are subject to automatic recounts.
The Berlin levy’s margin of victory is 0.24 of 1 percent, 50.12 percent in favor to 49.88 percent against.
The levy would raise $437,675 over five years to pay all but about $50,000 of the cost of a new water-pumper fire truck for the township.
The remaining cost would come from the fire department’s operating budget. The department’s only pumper truck is 25 years old and in need of repair work, township trustees say.