ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — Tuesday’s general election brought a wave of changes to Ross County’s educational governance and township leadership, with voters filling multiple school board seats and trustee positions across districts and townships. Unofficial results from the Ross County Board of Elections, with all 65 precincts reporting, show a mix of unopposed incumbents, write-in surprises, and multi-candidate battles deciding the outcomes. Voter turnout reached 33.52%, bolstered by absentee participation, as communities weighed in on local stewardship amid ongoing concerns over funding and infrastructure.
In school board races, which determine policies for thousands of students, voters selected members for 10 districts plus the regional Educational Service Center. Many contests featured uncontested or near-uncontested fields, but several saw robust competition.
Countywide, the Ross-Pike Educational Service Center Governing Board saw incumbents Michelle Free Bowdle and Michael B. Kinnamon returned for two seats, with Kinnamon edging out Bowdle 5,864 votes to 5,807 in a non-competitive race across 45 precincts.
For the Adena Local School District (9 precincts, vote for 3), Brady C. Ratzlaff led with 1,001 votes, followed by write-in totals of 933 and Josh McQuiniff’s 863. The write-ins, including scattered names like Brice Edward Acton and Elizabeth Ann Kruger, secured a seat, reflecting grassroots enthusiasm in the district.
In the Chillicothe City School District (24 precincts, vote for 3), Dwight Garrett topped the ballot with 2,943 votes, followed by William Bonner at 2,754 and Shawn Porter at 2,671. The trio’s unopposed sweep is the city’s largest school district.
The Greenfield Exempted Village School District (3 precincts, vote for 3) went to Eric Zint (363 votes), Rachel Brickey Fraley (324), and Charley Roman (279), leaving Marilyn S. Mitchell (229) short. Zint’s margin highlighted strong support for his platform in the small but pivotal race. Those were just the Ross County results. Results from nearby Fayette and Highland Counties will have to be tallied to poise the winners.
Huntington Local School District (4 precincts, vote for 2) elected C.R. McCloskey (554 votes) and Karla S. Depugh (453), over Deric A. Cox (423) and Christopher Jenkins (393). McCloskey’s lead solidified his incumbency.
A sparse field marked the Miami Trace Local School District (1 precinct, vote for 3), where Steven Armstrong and Jacklyn Farrens each received 1 vote, tying for top spots alongside a single write-in (notably Mark Haldeman). Shawn R. Grooms garnered zero, showing low turnout in this isolated precinct. The majority of the votes in that race are counted in Fayette County, with some in Pickaway County. The candidates, however, faced no real opposition.
Paint Valley Local (7 precincts, vote for 3) saw Cassidy Drummond (781 votes), Darcie Scott (766), and Beverly Ross (673) claim the seats in an uncontested field, providing stable leadership for the district. Those were the Ross County numbers. Some votes from nearby Highland County will still have to be counted.
Competition heated up in Southeastern Local (8 precincts, vote for 3), where Aaron L. Drake (763 votes), Jeff D. Stauffer (744), and Glenda Kinzer (701) prevailed over Linda L. Kitchen (595). Drake’s narrow edge over Stauffer signaled a tight community divide.
Union Scioto Local (13 precincts, vote for 2) returned Jeanne L. Lavender (1,717 votes) and Eric W. Cox (1,576) unopposed, affirming their roles in one of the county’s larger districts.
In Waverly Local School District (1 precinct, vote for 3), Joshua P. Hobbs (44 votes), Josh Remy (42), and Diane M. Crabtree (38) won out over Ann C. Oyer (33) and Braydon Lewis Bevens (27), in a fragmented race with multiple contenders. Of course, Waverly is located in Pike County and their local Board of Elections said they would release their rallies once they were completed.
Finally, Zane Trace Local (9 precincts, vote for 3) elected Todd Holdren (1,382 votes), Ben Buchwalter (1,174), and Jeremiah C. Johnson (1,124), leaving Denis A. Greenwalt (914) and Richard L. Lockwood (757) behind. Holdren’s commanding lead positions him as a key voice on budget and curriculum issues.
Shifting to township trusteeships—critical for road maintenance, zoning, and emergency services—voters filled two seats in each of 16 townships, often with minimal opposition but notable write-in activity in a few.
- Buckskin Township (2 precincts) reelected Eric A. Kline (281 votes) and Jeff Cottrill (258).
- Colerain Township (2 precincts) kept Robert E. Delong (316) and Aaron E. Swepston (290).
- Concord Township (4 precincts) chose Zachary D. Schaaf (699) and write-ins (589, including Virgil Flannery and J. Andy Hill).
- Deerfield Township (1 precinct) retained James R. Grabill (134) and Carey J. Maddux (139).
- Franklin Township (2 precincts) selected Eric Estep (142) and Joseph Andrew Lott (135).
- Green Township (4 precincts) picked Terry D. French (577) and Jeffrey Geno (529) from a crowded field including Carl Gearhart (325), Jason D. Wiseman (493), and Ron E. Hinton (356).
- Harrison Township (1 precinct) returned Claude D. Gray (151) and Toby D. Kellough (144).
- Huntington Township (4 precincts) went with Blake Kellough (714) and Chester Bud Lytle (613), over write-ins (257).
- Jefferson Township (1 precinct) elected James Barker (193) and Ryan Skeens (158), edging Paul H. Minney (120).
- Liberty Township (2 precincts) reelected Dean Carroll (364) and Junior Collier (349).
- Paint Township (1 precinct) chose Brian Iseman (154) and Jacob Wilson Meyers (132).
- Paxton Township (2 precincts) selected Robert L. Holbert (283) and Daniel J. Driapsa (247).
- Scioto Township (27 precincts) kept John K. Wetzel (3,911) and Harold Bud Scharfetter (2,664).
- Springfield Township (2 precincts) elected Chuck Schrader (397) and Carmi Van Jones IV (356).
- Twin Township (4 precincts) picked Bill Jones (425) and Dylan Estep (379), over Michael Darbyshire (332).
- Union Township (6 precincts) chose Wes Bowles (1,042) and Bryan B. Smith (859) from contenders including Dave Bethel (575) and Jeffrey G. Henness (540).
These results, encompassing Election Day and absentee votes with no provisionals reported, are unofficial and await certification with some ballots from nearby counties. Even in unopposed races, voter engagement remained steady, signaling trust in local stewards. Education advocates praised the diverse slate of new board members, while township officials prepare for winter challenges.