A computer glitch delayed the reporting of Summit County election results – returns on the site were stalled at 4% for much of the night after polls closed. Eventually, the Board of Elections posted a PDF with results, and, as of 11:08 p.m., 235 precincts of 371 in the county had reported. Citywide, results appeared to be complete, with 118 of 118 precincts reporting.
“We made the decision to pull it [the electronic results], and we’re posting the PDF results instead online,” said Pete Zeigler, the deputy director of the Summit County Board of Elections. “As we speak, we’re waiting for the final uploads so we can post the final results. It’s a matter of the vendor’s website, for reasons we’re not sure yet.”
Zeigler said the board wants to “put out accurate results quickly, and it’s made it that much more challenging.” If the software had been working correctly, full results would have been reported well before 11 p.m., he said.
Workers stayed late at the board because of the glitch, and Zeigler said there are “a whole lot of people out there [in the community] that care about what these results have to say. I can’t even count how many, I just know how many are bothering me,” he said.
“People want their results, I don’t blame them, and that’s why we’re still here. We’re doing everything we can to make sure people get their results and they’ll be out shortly, but I’d much rather they be out by now.”
Signal Akron will follow up Wednesday with the board to update results and learn more about the technology hiccups.
Ballot Issues
Credit: Jeff Haynes
By Susan Zake
State Issue 1 passes
The constitutional amendment that establishes the “right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions,” including fertility treatment, continuing a pregnancy, miscarriage care and abortion, passed with more than 55% of the vote, with about 92% of the votes reported.
Ohio becomes the seventh state to protect reproductive rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. The amendment will go into effect 30 days after the election.
Decision Desk HQ and the Associated Press called the issue around 9 p.m. Tuesday.
State Issue 2 passes
The Marijuana Legalization Initiative also passed with strong support, with more than 56% voting yes with about 92% of the votes counted. State law will change to “authorize and regulate the cultivation, processing, sale, purchase, possession, home grow, and use” of cannabis by people who are 21 and older. Issue 2 would not amend the state constitution.
Akron's new mayor
Akron Mayor-elect Shammas Malik speaks to supporters and other Democrats at a post-election party at the Akron Civic Theatre after polls closed Tuesday. Malik, the presumptive mayor since the May primary, ran unopposed in the general election. Signal Akron photo by Doug Brown
By Doug Brown
In Akron, Shammas Malik, the presumptive mayor since the May primary, became the mayor elect – Signal Akron’s Doug Brown caught up with him at a post-election party at the Akron Civic Theatre’s Knight Stage.
“I will be forever grateful. It’s an incredible honor, incredible privilege,” Malik said of being elected Akron’s mayor as he thanked his staff and the residents of Akron. “I’m a product of this community, and I’m going to do my best every single day.”
“Today I drove all around Akron,”he told the crowd. “We started in Northwest Akron but we went up to North Hill, we went over to the East Side, Goodyear Heights, I finished up the day in Buchtel. All day long I saw people that inspired me. There are so many reasons not to get involved in politics, we all know that, but the reason to get involved is the people.”
Malik said, “There are times when I doubt myself, there are times when I doubt the odds, there are some times I doubt the fabric of our democracy. But there’s not a single time I doubt the people of Akron.”
Malik continued his campaign message of change. “I ran talking about change, and we are going to move forward with change, delivering change. We, not me.”
“If we are going to give people hope, if we are going to give our children, our youth hope, for a city where they can have a happy, fulfilling, thriving life, we have to be a safer city. We have to be a city of better housing, better education.”
Sykes runaway leader in Board of Education races; Hall and Molenaur win remaining two seats
By Arielle Kass
Barbara Sykes is the clear vote-leader in an eight-person race for three seats on the Akron Board of Education, with Summer Hall and incumbent Rene Molenaur appearing to win the final two seats.
With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, Sykes, a former Akron City Council member and state representative, had more than a quarter of the votes.
Barbara Sykes easily won a seat on the Akron Board of Education, collecting about 25% of the vote for the three open seats. Photo courtesy of Barbara Sykes
Hall, a community outreach coordinator for the City of Akron, was the next-highest vote-getter with 13.47% of the vote, while Molenaur, a senior instructional designer at the University of Akron who was appointed to the board earlier this year, rounds out the likely winners with 11.83%.
Other candidates were clustered behind, with three candidates claiming more than 10% of the vote. They include Phil Montgomery, Summit County’s budget and finance director; Gwen Bryant, a former elementary school teacher who now works as an instructional and leadership coach for schools; and Patrick Bravo, a former Board of Education president with a decade of experience who didn’t run for reelection in 2021.
Summit DD Board replacement levy
The Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board's tax replacement levy appeared to be leading with about 65% of the vote, with 181 of 371 precincts in the county reporting.
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