Provisional Ballots In, Final Vote Counts in Local Elections Awaiting State Certification Following Dec. 1st Meeting

On Thursday, November 13th, a check of the State Election Results website showed the final category of “Provisional Ballots” had been reported in local races, concluding the vote count for Warren County’s local elections. Those results, presented below, have been sent to the State for review and certification.

Here are those final local vote counts, which we will compare below to earlier reported election results:

Final Results, Warren County local elections

The Numbers Game

Getting the basics down is important on Election Day. Royal Examiner File Photos Roger Bianchini

According to Warren County Voter Registrar and Director of Elections Matthew Reisinger, State certifications are expected following the State Election Board meeting of December 1st.

As previously reported on the competitive races with more than one candidate on the ballot, Happy Creek Supervisor candidate Tony Carter was initially reported to have 1,868 votes, while his opponent, Scott Turnmeyer, had 1,526, with a total of 3,394 votes cast. The final submitted count of 1,884 votes Carter, 1,544 Turnmeyer, shows a final total vote count of 3,428, or an increase of 34 votes cast in the Provisional and Post-Election categories. Those numbers show the trailing Turnmeyer picking up 2 votes, 18-to-16, cutting Carter’s lead to 340 votes. Enough for a Recount call by the trailing candidate? Probably not.

Soon to be back in the Happy Creek District Supervisors seat he held for 20 years before retiring four years ago, Samuels Library supporter Tony Carter on the stump during his 2025 campaign.

In the final counts, unopposed candidates Hugh Henry (94.89% of vote) and George Cline Jr. (94.67% of vote) trounced unannounced write-in opponents, whoever they may have been. Not reaching a 10% threshold, write-in names do not have to be specified. So, we’ll never know how many Micky Mouse or Bozo the Clown votes were cast in those races.

And in the only other competitive local race Happy Creek District School Board candidate Sara Jones expanded her final vote tally to 2,033 votes, for a 505-vote margin of victory over Joseph M. Stahl at 1,528 votes. Jones initial lead had been 501 votes, at a 2,020 to 1,519 count.

Two Election Day county voting locations, first the Warren County Government Center and below at Warren County High School.