Updated 9:51 p.m..
WAVERLY, Ohio — Neil Edward Leist defeated Bob Thompson for a Pike County commissioner seat Tuesday, winning 67.3% of the vote, 5,708 votes, to Thompson’s 32.7%, 2,773 votes, with all 22 of 22 precincts reporting, according to unofficial results from the Pike County Board of Elections.
Pike County voters also returned Paul Price unopposed as Common Pleas Court judge for the Probate and Juvenile Division, with 6,130 votes, and elected Davida K. Brown unopposed as county auditor, with 6,532 votes, the board’s unofficial report showed.
Two local tax measures failed. A renewal and increase of the Pike County Board of Developmental Disabilities levy, a 2-mill, five-year levy, was rejected 62.5% to 37.5%, with 5,126 votes against and 3,078 in favor. The WCSD income tax levy was defeated in the nine precincts where it appeared, 68.9% to 31.1%, 2,607 votes to 1,176.
Voters approved three local liquor options. In Ward 5, a Sunday sales option for F.O.E. #2227 passed 56.2% to 43.8%, 149 votes to 116. In Piketon Village, a Sunday sales option for Dutchess passed 51.1% to 48.9%, 317 votes to 303. In Seal Township, a Sunday sales option for Grove & Patio passed 54.1% to 45.9%, 198 votes to 168.
Several township levies renewing existing taxes passed. Benton Township’s 1.6-mill operating levy passed 65.8% to 34.2%, 279 votes to 145. Mifflin Township’s 1-mill fire protection levy passed 65.3% to 34.7%, 198 votes to 105. Perry Township’s 2-mill fire protection levy passed 64.3% to 35.7%, 101 votes to 56. Seal Township’s 1-mill fire protection levy passed 61.3% to 38.7%, 604 votes to 382. Sunfish Township’s 1.5-mill fire protection levy passed 65.9% to 34.1%, 230 votes to 119. Union Township’s 1-mill cemetery levy passed 59.1% to 40.9%, 208 votes to 144. Pebble Township’s 1.5-mill cemetery levy was narrowly rejected, 50.5% to 49.5%, 383 votes to 375.
In the race for governor, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy carried Pike County with 63.4% of the vote, 5,402 votes, to Democrat Amy Acton’s 33.0%, 2,811 votes, according to unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State. Statewide, Acton was leading with 50.4% of the vote with 4,717 of 8,834 precincts reporting, a result running counter to the county’s outcome.
In the U.S. Senate race for the unexpired term ending Jan. 3, 2029, Republican Jon Husted carried Pike County with 62.7%, 5,348 votes, to Democrat Sherrod Brown’s 31.5%, 2,683 votes. Statewide, Brown was leading with 48.3% of the vote, also diverging from the county’s results.
Republicans swept the other statewide executive races in Pike County. Attorney General candidate Keith Faber carried the county 69.1% to Democrat John Kulewicz’s 30.9%. Auditor of State candidate Frank LaRose won the county 69.3% to Democrat Annette Blackwell’s 30.7%. Secretary of State candidate Robert Sprague took 65.5% to Democrat Allison Russo’s 31.4%. Treasurer of State candidate Jay Edwards won 68.4% to Democrat Seth Walsh’s 31.6%. On the Ohio Supreme Court, Republican Daniel Hawkins carried the county 68.2% to Democrat Marilyn Zayas’ 31.8% in the seat for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and Republican Colleen O’Donnell won the county 67.1% to Democrat Jennifer Brunner’s 32.9% in the seat beginning Jan. 2, 2027.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Republican David Taylor carried Pike County with 69.2% to Democrat Jen Mazzuckelli’s 30.8%; the Scioto Valley Guardian projects Taylor wins the district, based on unofficial returns with 579 of 738 precincts reporting. In the 17th Ohio Senate District, Republican Shane Wilkin carried the county 68.7% to Democrat Brian Deer’s 31.3%, and the Guardian projects Wilkin wins the district. In the 91st Ohio House District, Republican Bob Peterson carried the county 67.8% to Democrat Amy Wright’s 32.2%, and the Guardian projects Peterson wins the district. In the 4th District Court of Appeals race for the term beginning Feb. 9, 2027, Republican Jayme Fountain carried the county 67.5% to Democrat Todd Grace’s 32.5%, and the Guardian projects Fountain wins that seat as well.
State Issue 3, which would require voters to show photo identification to vote, passed in Pike County 78.0% to 22.0%, 6,468 votes to 1,825. Statewide, the Scioto Valley Guardian projects Issue 3 passes, based on unofficial returns with 28% of precincts reporting and a 25.6-point margin.
Across Pike County, 8,693 ballots were cast out of 17,120 registered voters, a turnout of 50.8%, according to unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s office reported 77 outstanding absentee ballots and 200 outstanding provisional ballots still to be counted countywide.
Live, county-by-county results are available 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/
