Updated 9:20 p.m..
McARTHUR, Ohio — Republican C. Scott Ward won election to the Vinton County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Steven Ray Hammond 68.7% to 31.3%, according to unofficial results from the Vinton County Board of Elections. All 20 of the county’s 20 precincts had reported for the full term beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Vinton County backed Republicans at the top of the statewide ballot, according to unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy carried the county for governor over Democrat Amy Acton, 65.9% to 29.4%, with Libertarian Don Kissick at 4.7%. Statewide, Acton led with 52.4% as of 2,685 of 8,834 precincts reporting, and the Scioto Valley Guardian has not projected a winner.
Republican Jon Husted won Vinton County in the special U.S. Senate race, taking 64.7% to Democrat Sherrod Brown’s 28.1%, with Libertarian William Redpath at 5.1% and independent Greg Levy at 2.1%. Statewide, Brown led with 50.5% as of the same 2,685 of 8,834 precincts reporting, and that race also remained unprojected.
Vinton County also backed Republican Keith Faber for attorney general over Democrat John Kulewicz, 72.5% to 27.5%, and Republican Frank LaRose for auditor of state over Democrat Annette Blackwell, 72.5% to 27.5%. Statewide, Kulewicz led with 50.7% and LaRose led with 50.4%, and neither race had been projected.
The county backed Republican Robert Sprague for secretary of state over Democrat Allison Russo and Libertarian Tom Pruss, 69.0% to 27.8% to 3.2%, and Republican Jay Edwards for treasurer of state over Democrat Seth Walsh, 72.0% to 28.0%. Statewide, Russo led with 50.6% and Walsh led with 50.9%, with neither race projected.
On the Ohio Supreme Court, Vinton County favored Republican Daniel Hawkins over Democrat Marilyn Zayas, 71.8% to 28.2%, for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and Republican Colleen O’Donnell over Democrat Jennifer Brunner, 70.8% to 29.2%, for the term beginning Jan. 2, 2027. Statewide, Zayas led with 51.3% and Brunner led with 51.7%, with neither contest decided.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Republican David Taylor carried Vinton County over Democrat Jen Mazzuckelli, 72.5% to 27.5%. Districtwide, Taylor led with 61.4% as of 301 of 738 precincts reporting, and the Guardian had not yet projected a winner.
For the 4th District Court of Appeals seat with a term beginning Feb. 9, 2027, the county backed Republican Jayme Fountain over Democrat Todd Grace, 70.8% to 29.2%. The Scioto Valley Guardian projects Fountain as the district-wide winner, based on its analysis of unofficial returns showing Fountain ahead by 22.0 percentage points with 296 of 568 precincts, or 52%, reporting districtwide.
In the 17th Ohio Senate District, Vinton County chose Republican Shane Wilkin over Democrat Brian Deer, 71.5% to 28.5%. The Guardian projects Wilkin as the district-wide winner, with Wilkin ahead by 25.9 percentage points as of 164 of 355 precincts, or 28%, reporting districtwide.
In the 92nd Ohio House District, the county backed Republican Mark Johnson over Democrat Sarah Senff, 72.6% to 27.4%. The Guardian projects Johnson as the district-wide winner, with Johnson ahead by 18.4 percentage points as of 92 of 138 precincts, or 58%, reporting districtwide.
Vinton County voters approved State Issue 3, which would require voters to show photo identification to vote, 79.7% to 20.3%. The Scioto Valley Guardian projects the measure will pass statewide, based on its analysis of unofficial returns showing yes votes ahead by 25.6 percentage points as of 2,685 of 8,834 precincts reporting.
In other local races, Jeffrey Randolph Griffith ran unopposed for Court of Common Pleas judge for the term beginning Feb. 9, 2027, and received 100% of the vote, 2,824 votes, according to the Vinton County Board of Elections. Cindy Ann Waugh also ran unopposed for county auditor and received 100%, 3,111 votes.
In Richland Township, Travis G. Faught ran unopposed for an unexpired trustee term ending Dec. 31, 2029, and won with 100% of the vote, 389 votes. In Swan Township, Jerrod Loren Schorr defeated Nathan Leland Durr for a trustee seat with the same unexpired term, 53.3% to 46.7%.
Voters rejected a proposed 0.75%, five-year income tax for the Alexander Local School District, with 56.2% against and 43.8% in favor, in the single precinct covering that part of the county.
A 1-mill, five-year renewal levy for the Vinton County Health District passed, 58.3% to 41.7%.
In Hamden Village, voters renewed a 6-mill, five-year police levy, 57.2% to 42.8%, and a 3-mill, five-year fire levy, 75.0% to 25.0%.
In McArthur Village, voters renewed a 4-mill, four-year general levy, 64.9% to 35.1%; a 3.5-mill, four-year police levy, 67.9% to 32.1%; and a 1-mill, four-year parks levy, 68.6% to 31.4%.
Madison Township voters renewed a 1-mill, five-year cemetery levy, 65.5% to 34.5%. Knox Township voters renewed a 2-mill, five-year roads levy, 72.1% to 27.9%. Swan Township voters renewed a 0.5-mill, five-year cemetery levy, 61.0% to 39.0%, and Wilkesville Township voters renewed a 0.5-mill, five-year waste levy, 79.9% to 20.1%.
Countywide, 3,992 ballots were cast out of 8,059 registered voters, a turnout of 49.5%, according to unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s office reported no outstanding absentee ballots and 43 outstanding provisional ballots left to count.
Full county-by-county results are available on the Scioto Valley Guardian’s live election results 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/
