Mahoning election results don’t change with recount

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

There are no changes in the Nov. 5 general election results in Mahoning County after Monday’s recount.

Trumbull County will have a Dec. 5 recount in a Warren Township trustee race.

Three local races were so close the Mahoning County Board of Elections recounted ballots during a meeting Monday. Although Robert Lidle, a Poland Township incumbent trustee, picked up one vote in the recount, it doesn’t change the outcome.

Joanne Wollet won the most votes, so she and Lidle will be township trustees this January. Only 12 votes separated Lidle and Mark Naples, the other incumbent in the race.

With the recount, Wollet got 1,916 votes, Lidle had 1,863 votes and Naples had 1,849.

The vote for the Canfield charter amendment to set term limits for officeholders remains unchanged with 1,216 yes votes and 1,210 no votes.

For the West Branch School Board race, the Mahoning County board is waiting for Portage County to conduct its official count. That will take place today.

After that’s done and sent to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, Mahoning County will learn if a recount is necessary. The West Branch school district straddles Mahoning, Portage and Columbiana counties.

This election saw a high number of recounts compared with others, elections officials have said.

If the margin of victory is 0.5 of 1 percent or less, an automatic recount occurs.

The Trumbull County Board of Elections, will meet in special session at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 5 to conduct an automatic recount in the race for Warren Township trustee, won by Robert Bush.

The board certified results Monday that declared Bush the winner over Phillip E. Fletcher. The two were tied on election night with 291 votes, but Bush gained two votes when provisional ballots were added, winning 293 to 291.

Provisional ballots are cast if a voter’s eligibility is in question, such as failing to provide proper identification when voting, a changed address or name, failing to update voter-registration information or not appearing on a list of registered voters, according to the Ohio secretary of state’s office.

A two-vote difference in the Warren Township race is close enough to qualify for an automatic recount.

In addition to certifying the results in the Warren Township race, the elections board certified results in all other races and issues from the Nov. 5 ballot with the outcome not changing in any other race, said Kelly Pallante, elections board director.