ATHENS, Ohio — Ohio voters narrowly rejected an anti-gerrymandering issue, though Athens County voters approved the issue. Athens County voters also largely supported Democrats who lost their races for Ohio Legislature and Ohio Senate.
State issue 1
Athens County voters approved Ohio Issue 1 by a margin of 57% to 42%. Statewide, voters rejected the issue, with 54% voting against as of 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State.
The issue would have replaced the seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission — comprising members of the state legislature, the governor, the state auditor and the secretary of state — with a Citizens Redistricting Commission whose 15 members would be private citizens with equal representation among Republicans, Democrats and independents. None of the members could be current or recent officeholders, members of their staffs or consultants, or lobbyists.
The Ohio Ballot Board rewrote the proposed ballot language, triggering a lawsuit from the bipartisan group behind the proposal. The Ohio Supreme Court case largely upheld the ballot board’s language on a 4–3 party-line vote. The language of the actual proposed amendment will be displayed at polling places.
Senate District 30
Incumbent Brian Chavez (R-Marietta) defeated Democratic challenger Ari Faber, of Athens, by over 46,000 votes, according to the Associated Press as of 11 p.m. on Election Day.
Chavez received 44% of votes cast in Athens County; in the district overall, he took 68% of the vote according to the Associated Press as of 11 p.m. on Election Day.
Chavez did not return an inquiry the Independent sent to his office about how to reach him on election night.
This was Chavez’s first time facing election for his Ohio Senate seat. Chavez was appointed to the Ohio Senate in Dec. 2023, filling the remainder of Frank Hoagland’s former term.
Chavez owns an oil and gas company which operates over 450 oil and gas wells, as well as an injection well company, Deeprock Disposal Solutions. Prior to his appointment, he represented major petroleum companies on the Ohio Oil and Gas Commission.
While Faber declined an interview with the Independent after results came in, he told a Democratic Party gathering at the Pigskin Tuesday night, “I’m incredibly thankful for all of you who have knocked doors, walked parades, written postcards, or even had a simple chat with your neighbors or family. You are the people that have made the difference in this race.”
In a concession statement he sent later Tuesday night, he said, “While I am saddened that we did not win, I am pleased that I was able to share my vision for a better Ohio with so many people.”
“We deserve healthcare coverage, lower food costs, and stronger unions,” Faber said in the statement. “My work is not complete until we’ve achieved our goals for all Ohioans. I will continue to stay in this fight.”
Faber wished Chavez luck in his first full term.
House District 94
Republican candidate Kevin Ritter, of Marietta, defeated Democratic challenger Wenda Sheard, of Athens by more than 20,000 votes, according to the Associated Press as of 11 p.m. on Election Day. Ritter will replace term-limited Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville).
Ritter also won the portion of the district in Athens County, receiving 55% of votes cast.
The district, as of next year, will largely exclude the city of Athens as well as some eastern portions of the county.
Ritter told the Independent he was “very pleased” with the results and thanked “all the people that went out and knocked on doors and put up signs and made phone calls. It was a real team effort.”
Ritter said his top issues entering into the office would be energy and education.
“We’ve got a lot of folks working in that [energy] sector,” Ritter said. “I think it’s important that we continue to develop not only alternative energies, but also traditional energy sources like oil and gas. My background is education, so I’m hoping to end up on one or both of the house education committees, and I’d like to contribute to legislation on education as well.”
Sheard said she doesn’t “look at it as losing” the race.
“I look at it as a year well spent, earning voters, raising the issues, gathering people who have the same vision that I share about the worth and dignity of all people, learning about what all the people in our district are feeling, how they’re suffering, trying to figure out solutions,” Sheard said. “So in a way, it’s a win.”
Sheard also celebrated that her race was contested.
“Whenever we have a contested race, there’s winning for democracy, because if we don’t have contested races, we don’t have elections, we have coronations,” Sheard said. She said her campaign went better than anticipated and that she’d continue to pay attention to issues affecting the district.
Edwards did not immediately return a request for comment.
House District 95
Incumbent Don Jones (R-Freeport) defeated Democratic challenger Micah McCarey, of Athens, by more than 16,000 votes, according to the Associated Press. Jones received only 25% of votes in Athens County, however.
The 95th district, as of next year, will include much of the city of Athens as well as some eastern portions of the county.
Jones told the Independent that his first goal is “to get through the lame duck session.”
“After we get through the lame duck session, we’ll start to focus on what we’ve been working on currently,” Jones said. He listed the ongoing drought, broadband internet access, access to prescription medication, education, agriculture and healthcare access as top issues.
Jones thanked voters for “giving me another opportunity to continue to serve them.”
He congratulated McCarey “on a clean race that we had and the civility that was shown by himself, and that’s something I think that voters appreciate as well.”
McCarey is an at-large Athens County Council member and director of the Ohio University Pride Center. The Athens County Democratic Party appointed him in late June to run for the office.
“I am looking forward to using the momentum from this campaign to make sure we continue moving forward regardless,” McCarey told the Independent.
Ohio Supreme Court
Full term commencing Jan. 1, 2025
Incumbent Democrat Justice Michael P. Donnelly received around 60% of votes in Athens County.
However, challenger, Megan E. Shanahan, a Republican, won 56% of votes statewide, according to the Associated Press.
Full term commencing Jan. 2, 2025
Challenger Joseph Deters, a Republican, defeated incumbent Melody Stewart, a Democrat, with 56% votes statewide, according to the Associated Press.
Stewart received 58% votes in Athens County, according to the Associated Press.
Unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2026
Dan Hawkins, a Republican, defeated Lisa Forbes, a Democrat, with 55.6% of votes statewide, according to the Associated Press. Forbes received 59% of votes in Athens County.
State Board of Education, 8th District
Karen Lloyd won an uncontested election to represent Ohio’s 8th District on the Ohio Board of Education. Lloyd won over 13,700 votes in Athens County.
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