The November 7th Election

The November 7th election has come and gone, barely impacting the community in a clear fashion.  The people elected on that day will affect not only the local area, but all of the nation.

 

Van Wert County had a larger voter turnout than in previous years.  Out of 39 precincts, 10,642 votes were cast by 20,347 registered voters.  That is a 52.3 percent voter turnout, with the state average being 53.2%.  Last year's turnout in Van Wert County was 45.7%, with the average at 40.2%.

 

In the governor election, Ted Strickland defeated J. Kenneth Blackwell with 60.3% of the vote.  In Van Wert County, Blackwell received 5,280 votes over Strickland's 4,458 votes.  Unlike Presidential elections, the combined votes of all the regions decides the winner, instead of each district's choice adding to a total count.

 

Several state representatives have changed, with the number of  Democratic representatives increasing this year.  A sparse number of State Issues appeared, with varying success.  To see a large percentage of the year's ballot questions and results, click to link to the Ohio Secretary of State website here.

 

The future of the region will be changed by the people society elects to power.  In 2008, the nation will choose a new president of the United States.  In the meantime, individual issues will be decided by the area's individuals.  The results of the November 7th elections will become official in the following weeks, as the final absentee votes are counted.  No major changes will likely occur in the results, but every vote needs to be counted.

 

A shining example of the voting process is the new high school/middle school complex.  The complex was paid for by a levy the town voted on in 2003.  The majority of the town made this school possible.  Voting may seem fruitless to some, but with enough time, the results are plain amazing to see.