That's a wrap. After many hours of coverage, our live blog has come to a close. Thanks for tuning in and following along with us.
If you want an in-depth rundown of this afternoon and evening's events, just scroll up and read back through the blog.
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Election Day is here! Stay tuned as The Post provides live coverage throughout the day and into the night?? pic.twitter.com/U6ypFpdqgD
— The Post (@ThePost) November 2, 2021
The Associated Press reported in its official results that Mike Carey (R) won the U.S. House of Representatives seat in Ohio's 15th Congressional District. Carey is ahead of opponent Allison Russo (D) with unofficial results of 58.07% votes cast.
BREAKING: Republican Mike Carey wins election to U.S. House in Ohio's 15th Congressional District. #APracecall at 10:06 p.m. EDT. #Election2021 #OHelection
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 3, 2021
Once again, the Democratic Party put up a candidate that did enough to garner votes, but not enough votes to win.
We’ve seen it before, we’ll probably see it again: the Democratic Party in the region never has a candidate that connects with Appalachian voters enough to win. It is interesting, though, to mention how close this race was. Mike Carey (R) was not an incumbent, which didn’t help his odds; but it wasn’t enough to help Allison Russo (D) either.
Next year, Democrats will put up another qualified, but un-relatable candidate, and Mike Carey as the incumbent will easily win.
The Athens County Board of Elections reports that voter turnout for the county was 26.86%. Despite this being a small local election, voter turnout should have been way higher. These numbers are higher than 2019, but this ultimately proves the lack of interest in general elections.
A major factor is students feeling as though they couldn’t vote in the county election or they don’t make a difference in voting. Another is a lack of education of general election candidates and their policies. If I hadn’t had knowledge of local issues and candidates, I would definitely not have voted in this election. It’s a shame, but unfortunately, this sad truth was proven today.
Independent candidate Iris Virjee gained 11.22% of the vote while Damon Krane was only able to earn 9.5% There could be two reasons for this.
First, Krane is an outspoken Democratic Socialist, a label Virjee publicly distanced herself from. Second, Krane was openly at battle with Mayor Patterson throughout the year. On the other hand, Virjee mostly stayed away from these disputes and only engaged with Patterson recently.
Neither are certain, but Virjee was a slightly more viable candidate for independents according to results.
The Athens County Tax Levy for Emergency Medical Services has passed. The official results are:
The Athens County Tax Levy Senior Citizens has passed. Here’s the breakdown of vote totals:
For – 7,900
Against – 2,367
Candidate |
Total votes |
Vote % |
1. Micah McCarey (D) |
1,624 |
26.60% |
2. Sarah H. Grace (D) |
1,620 |
26.54% |
3. Ben Ziff (D) |
1,596 |
26.14% |
4. Iris Virjee (I) |
685 |
11.22% |
5. Damon Krane (I) |
580 |
9.50% |
Unofficial election results from the Athens County Board of Elections report Democratic candidates Sarah Grace, Micah McCarey and Ben Ziff winning the three Council At-Large seats.
While it was nice to see two independent candidates on the ballot, these results aren’t surprising. Pat McGee was the first Independent candidate to run for Council since 1982. He won two elections, serving from 2016 to 2019. He lost his third bid for election in 2019.
Grace, McCarey and Ziff currently hold the seats and all ran reelection. It looks like Council will continue to only represent Democratic views for the foreseeable future.
Unofficial results from 33 of 56 precincts indicate both independent candidates will fail to earn a seat on city council. Ben Ziff, Micah McCarey and Sarah Grace will likely maintain their seats.
If these results stand, it means little for council. For critics of council, this is more of the same. It's unlikely that the Democrats' sole control over the council is going anywhere this year.
For Damon Krane, Iris Virjee and other independents it's becoming hard to see what the path forward is. Pat McGee's 2019 defeat showed even moderate independents face a massive uphill battle. It's unlikely Athens will see any candidates outside the Democratic Party on council in the near future.
One precinct is reporting complete results for its voter turnout, and 33 precincts have only partially reported results.
Candidate |
Total votes |
Vote % |
1. Micah McCarey (D) |
1,624 |
26.60% |
2. Sarah H. Grace (D) |
1,620 |
26.54% |
3. Ben Ziff (D) |
1,596 |
26.14% |
4. Iris Virjee (I) |
685 |
11.22% |
5. Damon Krane (DI) |
580 |
9.50% |
The Athens County Tax Levy Senior Citizens is currently on track to pass with 33 of the 56 precincts reporting. Here’s the breakdown of vote totals:
For – 5,356
Against – 1,280
With 33 of the Athens County's 56 precincts partially reporting, Allison Russo still leads Mike Carey.
Russo has 4,399 of the votes reported, while Carey has 2,183.
However, across district 15, Carey leads Russo in unofficial election results with 40,907 votes out of the 72,705 results reported.
The Athens County Tax Levy EMS is currently on track to pass with 33 of the 56 precincts reporting. Here’s the breakdown of vote totals:
For – 5,286
Against – 1,336
Unofficial election results from the Athens County Board of Elections report Sarah Grace, Micah McCarey and Ben Ziff winning the three Athens City Council At-Large seats.
McCarey, Ziff and Grace currently hold the seats and all ran for reelection this season.
Here's the breakdown with 33 of the 56 precincts partially reporting:
Democratic candidate Allison Russo is currently leading the polls in Athens County with 73.80% of the vote compared to Republican Mike Carey's 26.20%. Russo has 2,532 votes to Carey's 899 with 15 of the county's 56 precincts partially reporting.
If you voted today, hopefully you voted in favor of all the levies up for renewal. There are three levies up this year: an emergency medical services levy, a senior service and facilities levy and a general fund for operation, acquisition, construction and renovation of mental health and recovery services and facilities levy.
All of these levies are renewals, meaning they are a continuance of the same tax that residents have been paying for the same services.
To maintain “business as usual” in the county for these services, these levies need to pass. Levies are a good example of how voting is important to keep our government running and make sure we continue to receive services they provide.
Post reporters observed a lack of voters today in registered voting precincts. According to the Athens Community Center, there were 613 total voters by 4 pm. There was also a lack of people waking the streets of Athens with the infamous “I voted” stickers. While some might attribute this to an overall lack of voting, it may be due to an increase of early voting.
In the Athens Board of Elections office, citizens were bustling through the building trying to get their votes in early. As the votes totals are currently counted, I predict that voter numbers will still be low, but early voting will make a huge contribution to these numbers.
Today I voted in the Athens 3-3 precinct at the First Presbyterian Church polling location on Court St.
This year’s election day has felt a lot different than last year: a presidential year where everyone was talking about the election. Today, walking up on Court St., it seemed like most people didn’t even know there was an election today.
I walked into the precinct and if it weren’t for the signs that said “Voting here” I would have thought I was in the wrong place. I walked down the stairs to the church basement and the poll workers looked excited to see an actual voter.
I walked in around 1:30pm and they told me I was the 14th voter they had seen all day at that polling location. (Polls opened at 6:30 am). I was the first voter there for my precinct.
It’s possible that voting picked up speed through the day, and it’s possible that my polling location was simply less busy than the rest in Athens. Unfortunately, based on the general lack of zest for this Election Day, I predict turnout for this election cycle will be fairly low– at most 25%.
Related:Baker Center is home to a polling center on the third floor. This location is traditionally used for university student voting.
Some students, from other counties voted because of their interest in Athens politics. Emma Ellis, a freshman studying marketing, indicated the resources made available on campus encouraged her to register in Athens.
“I know where I stand in the political spectrum and also getting the basic information and the facts objectively of every levy ... is really helpful, because then I get to determine my own opinion without being swayed by anyone else,” Ellis said.
Although some students were enthusiastic, low turnout was to be expected. Poll worker Stephanie Morris explained that the reduced number of students at the polls was normal for a non-presidential election.
Related:Three at-large seats on city council are up for grabs today as the polls close after accepting ballots from registered Athens voters. The term "at-large" means that rather than serving a subdivision of Athens county, council members are responsible to serve constituents in the entire county.
There are five candidates running for the three at-large seats, and three are running for reelection. So, who are the candidates?
The Athens city Democratic Central Committee appointed Ziff to replace Peter Kotses after he resigned from his at-large seat in April. Ziff is a manager at Donkey Coffee and announced his intention to run for council in February, according to a previous Post report. Ziff is up for reelection and is running as a democrat along with incumbent Sarah Grace and Micah McCarey.
The independent candidate that ran for mayor in 2019 is running again, but for an at-large seat on council. Krane announced he would be running April 8 through a Facebook post. If elected, Krane promises to tackle issues like affordable housing and source-of-income discrimination, according to a previous Post report. Mayor Steve Patterson won the mayoral seat in 2019 by a large margin, the democratic incumbent with 75% of the votes.
The Ohio University alumna and Athens resident announced her candidacy May 11 through her campaign's Facebook page. Virjee, an independent candidate who has no prior political experience, said she was inspired by Krane to run for an at-large seat, according to a previous Post report. Like Krane, Virjee wants to focus on source-of-income discrimination and police reform, as well as changes to parking enforcement.
McCarey was named director of the LGBT center at OU in 2019. In May 2021, he was appointed to an at-large seat on city council with a focus on diversity and inclusion. He is running for reelection as a democrat, and he said wants to bring more Black and queer voices into majority-white spaces like council.
The incumbent at-large candidate has witnessed election season come and go. According to a previous Post report Grace, who first ran for council in 2017, was reelected for an at-large seat in 2019. Grace has previously addressed city issues including mental health emergency resources.
Related:As of 7:30 p.m., polls across Ohio have closed. Stay tuned for results and more analysis from The Post.
Alan Swank is the only candidate running in the 4th ward for Athens City Council. Swank beat Chris Fahl in the primary election in early May 2021.
Swank's main focus is housing issues, especially for senior residents. He wants to start "creative problem solving" as a way to reach and hear voters, according to a previous Post report.
A huge help for his campaign was his door-to-door interactions with voters, which Fahl did not do due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Swank will not be sworn in until January 2022 but is ready to take action immediately.
Related:Damon Krane is one of the five candidates running for an At-Large for Athens City Council.
This is not the first time Krane has run for an elected position in Athens, he ran for mayor in 2019. According to a previous Post report, Krane came into the Athens political sphere because of his activism within the city.
"Krane, who is a local business owner and political activist, chose to run for mayor after being involved as an activist in the city and region for years," the report said.
Related:The results of the special election will determine who will fill former Congressman Steve Stivers' position as representative of the 15th district. Allison Russo won the democratic primary with 85.11% of votes, according to a previous Post report. In addition, Carey won the republican primary with 38.04% of votes.
Russo was endorsed by President Joe Biden in November, and Carey was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in June.
Related:Since Pat McGee's defeat in the 2019 Athens City Council elections, the entire city government has been under the sole control of the Athens Democratic Party. Tonight, new challengers hope to take advantage of recent circumstances and end the Democrats' control.
At-large candidates Damon Krane and Iris Virjee are the only independent candidates on voters' ballots, and the establishment in Athens is doing everything they can to stop them. Both candidates, but especially Krane have drawn the ire of Mayor Patterson.
Earlier this year, audio leaked of the mayor bashing Virjee, Krane, and progressive Democrats like Micah McCarey at a GOP luncheon. This was followed by Krane sharing a racially insensitive post the Mayor made in 2009.
The situation culminated with Virjee confronting Patterson at an Ohio University College Democrats meeting last week. Virjee accused the mayor of being unreasonably critical of her positions while the mayor argued he was only being critical of Krane, a former challenger of Patterson's in the 2019 mayoral race.
If one or both of these candidates are able to overcome the odds and take one of the four seats up for grabs, it could be the first challenge the Athens Democrats have faced in some time and disrupt the status quo councilmembers have grown used to since 2019.
Related:There are five candidates competing for three seats for members of council at-large: Democratic candidates Sarah H. Grace, Ben Ziff and Micah McCarey, and Independent candidates Damon Krane and Iris Virjee.
The competitive position election heated up after an audio after an audio of Athens Mayor Patterson leaked claiming he wanted to keep “Democratic Socialist/Communist Candidates off of city council,” referring to both Krane and Virjee. It's also interesting to hear this comment, considering that Krane and Virjee have similar policies to the Democratic candidates, such as affordable and quality housing and parking enforcement in Athens.
Related:With Arian Smedley opting out for reelection, former OU professor Solveig Spjeldnes now steps in at the 1st ward seat being the only candidate on the ballot.
“If anyone who serves in this seat I would just like to see them continue to be responsive to the needs of West Side, continue to strengthen the resources that we have on our side of town and give it the attention that it needs,” Smedley said in an earlier Post report.
It's also worth noting that in 2019, the same year Council became a one-party body, Krane lost a mayoral bid against Democrat and incumbent Mayor Steve Patterson. Patterson won with about 75% of the vote. Although Krane lost, he told The Post on Election Night 2019 he hoped his campaign “planted seeds” for elections in the next couple years so he could continue to grow his efforts and make an impact.
Related:Aside from the special election, though, we do have some exciting local races. The three At-Large seats on Athens City Council are up for grabs. There are five total candidates, three of which are incumbents and Democrats: Sarah Grace, Micah McCarey and Ben Ziff. Two Independent candidates, Damon Krane and Iris Virjee, are also vying for the At-Large seats. If Krane or Virjee wins, City Council will no longer be a one-party body, which happened in 2019 after former At-Large Councilman Pat McGee, an Independent, lost his seat.
Related:In the special election for the Ohio 15th Congressional District, Democrat Allison Russo and Republican Mike Carey emerged as the primary election winners. Russo took 85.11% of votes in the Democratic primary and Carey won with 38.04% of the vote, according to results from the Athens County Board of Elections. Both have been endorsed by the leaders of their respective parties on a national level — Russo was endorsed by U.S. President Joe Biden and Carey has been endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
As Matt pointed out, odd-numbered years and local elections often have much lower voter turnouts. Given that the Ohio 15th Congressional District was previously filled by a Republican, and only one Democrat has held the seat since 1966, Democrats may be further discouraged from heading out the the polls.
Related:Local elections are notorious for low voter turnout, especially in odd-numbered years where few or no federal elections are on the ballot. In 2019, Athens County recorded a meager 26.5% voter turnout.
Earlier this morning, our audience engagement editor, Jack Hiltner, captured a snapshot of the Athens County Board of Elections building on Court Street. Voters were notably absent, and in the place where they line up stood a dumpster, collecting waste from the building's roof.
Related:At 10:30 a.m., the polls at the Athens Board of Elections were quiet. There was no line to enter. Instead, a roofing waste chute was emptying into a trailer pic.twitter.com/AIJfSAiXhr
— The Post (@ThePost) November 2, 2021
The only federal election on the ballot this year is for Ohio's 15th congressional district seat. The seat was vacated by former Rep. Steve Stivers when he opted to become the president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Stivers is a Republican who was reelected with about 63% of the vote in 2020.
Related:Welcome to the live blog! I'm Matt, the digital managing editor at The Post. I'll be doing mostly behind-the-scenes work this afternoon and evening, making sure that we have plenty of timely results and information for everyone to read!
During the latter part of the afternoon, we'll be providing some context to tonight's elections: why are they important? Who are the candidates? What are the issues? These are the questions we'll be providing answers to.
We'll also have comprehensive coverage of all the happenings at polling places around the city and county, talking to voters in different precincts about their thoughts on today's election. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more!
Good afternoon, Ohio University and Athens County! Welcome to The Post's Election Night live blog for 2021. I'm Abby Miller, the editor-in-chief of The Post. Stick with us this afternoon and evening as I'm joined by Digital Managing Editor Matthew Geiger, news reporters and opinion columnists to give you context, analysis and live updates on this year's local elections.
And make sure to check out our live updates on Twitter, too!
Election Day is here! Stay tuned as The Post provides live coverage throughout the day and into the night?? pic.twitter.com/U6ypFpdqgD
— The Post (@ThePost) November 2, 2021