Updated 10:48 p.m..
CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Pickaway County voters were rejecting a renewal and increase of the county park district’s tax levy Tuesday, according to results posted by the Pickaway County Board of Elections. With all 46 of the county’s precincts reporting, the levy was failing 54.1% to 45.9%, 11,868 votes against to 10,065 in favor.
Unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State showed 22,379 ballots cast out of 38,625 registered voters in Pickaway County, a turnout of 57.9%. The Secretary of State’s office reported 15 outstanding absentee ballots and 427 outstanding provisional ballots still to be counted, meaning totals could still shift before certification.
In other local races, Republican Jay H. Wippel won a Pickaway County commissioner seat with 17,319 votes, defeating write-in candidate Sherri Fahringer, who received no votes. Republican Brad Washburn was elected county auditor unopposed with 17,490 votes, and Shelly R. Harsha won a Court of Common Pleas judgeship unopposed with 16,958 votes. Democrat Brad Cotton won the coroner’s race with 12,320 votes, defeating write-in candidate Seth Yates, who received no votes.
Two school-related measures failed. A renewal levy for the Miami Trace Local School District was rejected 59.1% to 40.9% (149 to 103) in the single county precinct it covers, and a bond issue for Southwestern City School District failed 66.2% to 33.8% (43 to 22) in its one precinct.
Fire and ambulance levies fared better. An additional levy for the Tri-County Joint Fire District passed 52.0% to 48.0% (619 to 571) across its three precincts. A renewal levy for the Fayette County Emergency Medical Service District passed 66.8% to 33.2% (145 to 72), and a renewal levy for the Sterling Joint Ambulance District passed 59.2% to 40.8% (700 to 483) across its three precincts.
In Ashville, voters rejected a referendum on a village resolution, 81.6% to 18.4% (1,469 to 331). Two liquor options in the village passed: Option 17 in the east precinct, 54.0% to 46.0% (235 to 200), and Option 19 in the west precinct, 59.3% to 40.7% (270 to 185). A third liquor option, in Darby Township’s north precinct, passed 53.3% to 46.7% (262 to 230). Renewal levies passed in New Holland Village, 54.4% to 45.6% (118 to 99), and in Williamsport Village, narrowly, 50.4% to 49.6% (142 to 140).
Among township levies, an additional levy in Deercreek Township’s unincorporated area failed 52.3% to 47.7% (138 to 126), while an additional levy in Monroe Township passed 52.9% to 47.1% (295 to 263). An additional levy in Perry Township’s unincorporated area failed narrowly, 50.4% to 49.6% (116 to 114), and a renewal levy in Walnut Township passed narrowly, 50.7% to 49.3% (740 to 719).
In the governor’s race, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, running with Robert McColley, carried Pickaway County with 61.7% (13,632) to Democrat Amy Acton’s 34.3% (7,569); Libertarian Don Kissick, running with James Mills, took 4.0% (882). Statewide, Acton was leading with 50.5% as of 7,262 of 8,834 precincts reporting, and the Scioto Valley Guardian has not projected a winner in that race.
Pickaway County also backed Republican Jon Husted for the U.S. Senate seat, 62.9% (13,926) to Democrat Sherrod Brown’s 31.7% (7,031); Libertarian William Redpath had 3.4% (755) and independent Greg Levy had 2.0% (433). Statewide, Brown was leading with 48.2%, and that race also remained unprojected.
Pickaway County’s other statewide races followed the same pattern. Republican Keith Faber led for attorney general, 68.9% (15,144) to Democrat John Kulewicz’s 31.1% (6,841); Republican Frank LaRose led for state auditor, 69.9% (15,354) to Democrat Annette Blackwell’s 30.1% (6,618); Republican Robert Sprague led for secretary of state, 65.2% (14,322) to Democrat Allison Russo’s 31.5% (6,926) and Libertarian Tom Pruss’s 3.2% (710); and Republican Jay Edwards led for state treasurer, 68.7% (15,009) to Democrat Seth Walsh’s 31.3% (6,838). In the two Ohio Supreme Court races, Republican Daniel Hawkins led Democrat Marilyn Zayas 68.4% to 31.6%, and Republican Colleen O’Donnell led Democrat Jennifer Brunner 67.8% to 32.2%. All six Republicans were also leading statewide as of 7,262 of 8,834 precincts reporting, though none of those races had been projected.
In Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, Republican Mike Carey won Pickaway County 65.5% (14,408) to Democrat Don Leonard’s 31.2% (6,863) and Libertarian Brennan Barrington’s 3.2% (712), but Leonard was leading district-wide with 50.3% in 1,009 of 1,180 precincts reporting, and the race remained unprojected. In the 3rd Ohio Senate District, Republican Michele Reynolds carried the county 68.7% (15,048) to Democrat Stacie Baker’s 31.3% (6,841), but the Scioto Valley Guardian projects Baker as the district-wide winner, with returns showing her ahead by 15.8 percentage points in 810 of 959 precincts reporting. In the 12th Ohio House District, Republican Brian Stewart also carried the county, 67.9% (14,755) to Democrat Lee Yarsky’s 32.1% (6,973), and the Guardian projects Stewart as the district-wide winner as well, ahead by 24.4 points in that same precinct count. For the 4th District Court of Appeals seat, Republican Jayme Fountain carried the county 69.5% (15,127) to Democrat Todd Grace’s 30.5% (6,644), and the Guardian also projects Fountain as the district-wide winner, ahead by 22 points in 534 of 568 precincts reporting.
State Issue 3, which would require Ohio voters to show photo identification at the polls, passed in Pickaway County 78.0% (17,194) to 22.0% (4,838). The Scioto Valley Guardian projects the measure has also passed statewide, based on unofficial returns showing it ahead by 25.6 percentage points with 7,262 of 8,834 precincts reporting.
Full county-by-county results are available on the Scioto Valley Guardian’s live election map at https://sciotovalleyguardian.com/election-results-2026/.
Results are unofficial until certified by the Ohio Secretary of State. Source: Ohio Secretary of State election night reporting. See the live map: https://sciotovalleyguardian.com/election-results-2026/
