It’s that time of year again, the time of year when TVs have been overrun with a sickening amount of political ads and everyone seems to be talking politics.  This year is a midterm election year and a number of local and statewide offices were up for election.  In Ohio, arguably the most important race was that of governor.  Incumbent Republican Governor John Kasich ran against Ed FitzGerald, a Democrat for the most powerful government office in Ohio. In this race Kasich won by a sizeable margin after FitzGerald’s campaign was beset by various problems including infidelity and being caught without a valid driver’s license.    Kasich won all but two rural southeastern Ohio counties and grabbed 68 percent of the vote in a landslide victory.  Kasich even won the majority of the vote in a number of counties that have historically voted democratic, including Cuyahoga County. Here in Geauga County, 74 percent of ballots cast in the race for governor were cast for Kasich.

“Though the challenges may change in the next four years, we know how to tackle them head on—don’t be afraid to make tough choices, come together to solve problems, keep government small, manage responsibly and have the determination to lift up our neighbors.” Kasich said in his official victory statement. “ I’m proud of what we’ve all accomplished—and will accomplish—and grateful for the chance to play a role in it.”  Kasich’s victory was one of many Republican victories in the state of Ohio as the party’s candidates won almost all of the state positions up for election.  One of the main reasons for this huge victory for the Republicans is speculated to be because of a much higher turnout of Republican voters than Democrat. Darrel Rowland of the Columbus Dispatch states,

“ If this year’s projected electorate had shown up in 2012, Mitt Romney would have beaten Barack Obama by 4 points instead of losing by 3.” adding that this year’s turnout is projected to be about 70 percent of the last midterm election turnout in 2010.  The Republicans also had a very good Election Day nationally as they gained control of the US Senate and kept their majority in The House of Representatives.

In local elections there was a decent voter turnout as 47 percent of registered Geauga County residents voted. Those that did however, passed a countywide levy on senior citizen facilities, as well as passed as well as elected Republicans Walter “Skip” Claypool and Blake Rear to county commissioner offices. Important school levies in Berkshire and Ledgemont failed, but passed in Newbury.