Sandusky County voters approve 8 levies; Fremont schools income tax renewal rejected

FREMONT — Sandusky County voters on Tuesday approved eight tax levies, but residents in the Fremont City Schools District narrowly rejected a 1.25% income tax renewal that has been generating $9 million a year for the school system.

According to final unofficial results from the Sandusky County Board of Elections, Fremont's proposed school levy was defeated by a 51% to 49% margin, with 5,094 votes against the levy renewal and 4,861 votes in favor.

Voter turnout was high, with 53.73% of the county's 39,959 registered voters casting their ballots in the General Election.

Fremont Schools Superintendent Jon Detwiler had earlier described the levy as essential for the district, generating 19% of the schools' budget, and said that if the levy failed the district would put the levy to voters again in a future election.

2022 Ohio election: Mike DeWine wins reelection over Democrat Nan Whaley

The income tax was first passed as a 0.75% income tax in 1993, and was renewed and increased to 1.25% in 2003. Since then it has come up for renewal every five years and had been approved by voters each time until Tuesday's vote.

Sandusky County Commissioner Russ Zimmerman, a Republican who was first elected in 2018, won reelection by a landslide, besting Democratic challenger Scott Williams by 69% to 31% (14,489 votes to 6,499).

"I feel good about it," Zimmerman said Tuesday night at a Republican Party gathering at Moonshine Nightclub in downtown Fremont. "I told everybody that I was going to run it like we were losing it (when it came to his campaign).

"We did well, I was happy with it but didn't think it would be that big of a spread," he said of his 69%-31% winning margin. "Everything is good."

State Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, easily won reelection, defeating Democrat Dianne Selvey by 66% to 34% of the vote (13,711 for Click to 7,160 for Selvey).

Click, who is the pastor of Fremont Baptist Temple, was a primary sponsor of House Bill 704, known as the Personhood Act, which would add to the Ohio Revised Code that "the personhood of an individual is declared from the moment of conception."

"Thank the people for their support, and my commitment to continue common sense values, and continue to serve the people," Click said after the results came in.

2022 Ohio election: Early results show Ohio State Issue 1 likely to pass

Selvey had pledged to support abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, public education and renewable energy.

Republican Jerri Miller, the incumbent Sandusky County Auditor, was reelected after running unopposed.

"I am happy to have another four years, 'cause I have some work I have to get done," Miller said.

A number of Sandusky County school districts saw voters approve their levy requests on Tuesday.

Residents in the Woodmore Local School District, which is in both Sandusky and Ottawa counties, passed a 3-mill renewal by a comfortable margin. In Ottawa County, the vote was 68.6% in favor to 31.4% against (240 to 110) and in Sandusky County the vote was 59% for and 41% against (908 to 631).

The Clyde-Green Springs Local School District's 1.5-mill renewal was passed in Sandusky County by a 53% to 47% margin (2,015 in favor; 1,789 against), while the Seneca County portion of the school district voted against the levy 310-277. The combined totals from both counties ended up passing the levy by 2,292 to 2,099.

Green Springs Village approved a 6.7-mill, 5-year renewal for police protection, with Sandusky County voters voting in favor by 77% to 23% and Seneca County voters by 74% to 26%.

Gibsonburg Schools' proposed a 1% income tax passed 56% to 44%, or 1,099 votes in favor and 852 against.

Other ballot issues decided on Tuesday included:

A resolution in Gibsonburg asking voters if they wanted to nominate and elect village officers in nonpartisan elections, approved 77% to 23% (614 to 180).

Madison Township voters passed a 2.3-mill, five-year replacement levy for the fire department, 68% to 32%.

Riley Township voters approved a 1.45-mill, five-year renewal for fire protection, 74% to 26%.

Sandusky Township residents passed a five-year, 0.5-mill renewal for roads and bridges, 69% to 31%.

Townsend Township's proposed 1.5-mill replacement tax for roads and bridges was approved 59% to 41%.

In York Township, residents passed a 2-mill renewal for roads and bridges, 68% to 32%.

A 1-mill tax levy for parks and recreation in the City of Bellevue was approved in the city's Sandusky County precincts 67% to 33%, but results from all counties were not yet available.

Among those who gathered at the Republicans' election-night watch party at Moonshine was Gary Ferkel.

"I don't call myself a Republican, believe it or not," Ferkel said. "I'm up here to get together with my friends."

Correspondent Melissa Baker contributed to this report.

dyonke@gannett.com

419-334-1040

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: 2022 Ohio election: Fremont city schools income tax renewal rejected