It's official: Julius Oliver wins 1st Ward city council Dem primary

YOUNGSTOWN — A count of provisional and absentee ballots from the May 5 primary election did not change the outcome of the city’s tight 1st Ward Council race.

The Mahoning County Board of Elections had a special meeting tonight to count the provisional and absentee ballots and to certify the final count of the election.

Julius T. Oliver still beat Mike Write, 286 to 275, in the Democratic primary and will serve after Annie Gillam steps down. Gillam did not run again because of term limits. A third candidate, Jose A. Rivera, received 84 votes.

The vote tally May 5 was Oliver with 276 and Write with 267. Rivera received 78 votes.

The margin of victory is not small enough to trigger an automatic recount – that is 0.5 percent or less.

The board noted that Write can request a recount if he pays for one. It would cost $75.

He told The Vindicator he did not want to comment on whether he will ask for one.

Oliver said he was not surprised at the outcome.

“I knew I had it from just how the city was talking,” he said.

“I’m eager to get in there, to become a public servant and be the voice of the people,” Oliver added.

During the meeting, the board also had a public hearing on a plan to eliminate 26 precincts in the county. There were no objections, and the board voted unanimously to accept the plan beginning with the November election.

The number of precincts to be cut by community are: Austintown, from 40 to 33; Boardman, from 47 to 37; Poland Township, from 16 to 13; Campbell, from 11 to nine; Canfield city, from 10 to eight; Beaver, from eight to seven; and Milton, from three to two.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com