Election certified

The Miami County Board of Elections certified the results of the March 17 election Monday reporting that 25.7% of the county’s registered voters participated in the election delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The official results released Monday did not change the outcome of any race or issue that appeared on the ballot. Voting March 17 was delayed at the last minute by the state health director and all voting for was moved to an absentee format with ballots counted April 28.

The official count included the votes counted April 28 along with 190 provisional ballots and another 786 absentee ballot that were postmarked in time for inclusion in the count.

“This is definitely going to go down as a historical election,” said Elections Director Laura Bruns.

The county will not have a special election in August. Hopes are the November election “will be a little smoother,” said Dave Fisher, elections board chairman.

The official results showed incumbent Sheriff Dave Duchak winning over fellow Republican Paul Reece 7,145 to 5,235; incumbent County Commissioner Greg Simmons over Tipp City Mayor Joe Gibson 6,474 to 5,053; and in the Republican race for county commissioner Wade Westfall 5,640, Mark E. Williams 4,011; and William McGregor “Greg” Dixon Jr., 2,252.

Westfall will face Democrat Jack Bastian in November. Commissioner Ted Mercer was running unopposed for an unexpired term for county commissioner. NANCY BOWMAN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER