11/8/17 – 9:14 A.M.

Two incumbents won reelection to Fostoria City Council Tuesday. In the 4th Ward Tom Lake narrowly edged challenger Michael Spencer. Lake took 181 votes, compared to 172 for Spencer.

In the 1st Ward Paula Dillon bested challenger Jonathon Puffenberger. Dillon took 63 percent of the vote.

11/8/17 – 9:06 A.M.

Fostoria voters put their faith in a challenger in the city school board race. Heidi Kaufman took 1,099 votes to claim second place in a four-candidate race. Incumbents Patrick Grine and Sharon Stannard finished first and third, respectively.

Incumbent Anthony Thompson fell short in his reelection bid, finishing 185 votes away from the third and final spot on the board.

11/8/17 – 8:58 A.M.

Two incumbents held onto their seats on the Arlington school board Tuesday. Pete Mains and Dan Yates both took 571 votes. Challenger Kyle Powell took the most votes in the race, at 583.

Incumbent Mark Russel finished fourth with 523 votes. The top three vote-getters received seats on the Arlington board.

In the meantime three Riverdale school board seats went to three incumbents. Derek Dailey, Laura Leopold, and John Livingston all retained their positions. Challenger Tony Butler ran as a write-in candidate.

11/8/17 – 8:47 A.M.

Wyandot County voters showed their support for two countywide issues Tuesday. The first saw 61 percent of voters cast ballots in support of an additional 1.5-mill, five-year property tax for Angeline School and Industries. The levy funds programs, services, operations, and maintenance at the facility.

61 percent of Wyandot County voters approved of a .6-mill, 10-year levy for the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot Counties. The measure replaces an expiring .8-mill levy.

11/8/17 – 8:38 A.M.

Voters in Seneca County approved two countywide levies Tuesday. 63 percent of the ballots cast for the .7-mill levy for the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board were in favor of the measure. The mental health tax provides money for the operation of community addiction and community mental health services. It also provides for the maintenance and operation of alcohol and drug addiction facilities and mental health facilities.

Seneca County voters also supported a .3-mill, five-year levy for the Seneca County Commission on Aging. 77 percent of the ballots cast were in favor of the measure.

11/8/17 – 7:19 A.M.

Three former Bluffton Village Council members can drop the word “former” from their titles. Voters in the village elected Mitchell Kingsley, Jerry Cupples, and David Steiner Tuesday. Incumbent Phill Talavinia also won re-election.

The results upended the current make up of the council. Incumbents Sean Burrell, Ralph Miller, and Roger Warren lost their reelection bids. Challengers Tony Pinks, Benjamin Stahl, and Deborah Weirauch also came up short in their bid to claim four open council seats.

The Courier reports Kingsley, Cupples, and Steiner were critical of Bluffton’s current administration. They cited a higher water surcharge as an example of poor leadership.

MORE: The Courier

11/8/17 – 6:54 A.M.

Two Hancock County townships had contested trustee races Tuesday. In each instance, there were three candidates vying for two open seats.

Blanchard Township voters elected Bruce Arnold and Evan Jackson. Jackson received five more votes than Robert Burner.

In Cass Township, voters cast votes in support of Jason Rinker and Jerry Wolford. Matthew Mathias finished 21 votes out of second place.

11/8/17 – 6:48 A.M.

The final spot in a contested McComb Village Council race came down to one vote. Cathy Schroll and incumbents Carol Cary, Robin Rader, and Gordon Myers with the most votes in a seven-candidate field. Schroll finished fourth, just one vote ahead of Julie Barrett.

Mount Blanchard also had a contested village council race for four open council seats. The four top vote-getters out of five candidates were Aletha Grubb, Brittany Miller, Donald Bowman, and Cindy Amburgy. Write-in candidate Brian Van Heck finished out of the running.

11/8/17 – 5:34 A.M.

Voters in Putnam County decided contested races Tuesday. In the Pandora-Gilboa school district, there were five candidates on the ballot for two school board seats. Dawn Shulte was the leading vote-getter. Incumbent Kathy Amstutz finished second with 458 votes. She had 27 more votes than the next closest challenger.

In West Leipsic, Mayor Robert Alt held on to his position. He scored 22 votes to the 10 received by challenger Tom Critten.

You can see a full rundown of township races in today’s Courier.

11/8/17 – 5:26 A.M.

Voters in Putnam County passed a series of levies Tuesday. A .6-mill, five-year replacement levy for Putnam County senior services took 81 percent of the vote. The measure helps pay for free transportation, chore assistance, and other senior services.

Voters also approved a half-mill, five-year tax for health programs. 75 percent of the ballots cast on the issue were in favor of it.

The Ottawa-Glandorf School District’s bid to renew a 1.5-mill, five-year levy for permanent improvements passed by more, than 1,000 votes. Voters in the Pandora-Gilboa School District also passed a renewal levy. 60 percent of voters cast ballots in favor of a quarter-percent, five-year income tax for school operations.

Elsewhere Leipsic voters approved two tax proposals. An additional 2-mill, five-year tax for fire protection passed by nearly 100 votes. Voters also overwhelmingly renewed a .6-mill, five-year tax for operations in the village.

Pandora residents approved a plan to pool together for lower natural gas rates by a 77 vote margin.

MORE: The Courier