The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Forthofer gets most votes in primary
Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer cruised to a primary election win on the Lorain County side of the city, according to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections.
Voters picked among Forthofer and challengers Jerry Kyle and Dan Roth in a nonpartisan three-way primary. The top two will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 2 election.
As of 9 p.m., the candidates were awaiting results from the Erie County Board of Elections.
Forthofer had a strong win with 552 votes on the Lorain County side of the city, and 558 votes on the Erie County side, for a total of 1,110, according to the unofficial results.
Kyle was second with 153 votes on each side of the city for a total of 306 votes; and Roth had 213 votes, split between 102 on the Lorain County side and 111 on the Erie County side, according to the unofficial results.
“I think partially by the proportions, what my values were and what my priorities were, have been pretty clear for the past three and a half years,” said Forthofer, who gathered with supporters for a results watch party at the Vermilion Boat club. “I think the proportions of the voting results tonight indicate the voters feel that I’m on the right track for doing what they think is a similar goal.
“I think it sort of reinforces what I’m trying do and gives me a green flag for heading down that road for the next four, assuming that November works out, of course.
“It’s kind of hard to misinterpret the results, and it’s kind of hard to misinterpret what I’ve been doing the past three and half years. I think it does sync up.”
“I’m feeling good,” Kyle said.
He added he was reluctant to comment extensively before Erie County’s unofficial results were posted.
The primary election is a scramble in a relatively short time, Kyle said.
Going forward, he said he would like to have more face-to-face events and meet voters so he and they can get to know each other.
Roth, a former city councilman making his first run for mayor, said he had no regrets in the race.
“It’s still a worthwhile thing,” he said. “You want to be involved in your community; I think it’s something everybody should consider at some point.”
Roth thanked his family, friends and people he did not know who supported him.
He said he still loves Vermilion and is not going anywhere else.
The worst part of the result was low voter turnout May 4, Roth said.
“Elections are important, whether on a local level or a national level,” he said.
Roth thanked the people who turned out to cast their ballots, whether they voted for him or not.
The mayor of Vermilion serves a four-year term and earns $65,000 a year.
Forthofer, 68, elected in 2017 and taking office at the start of 2018, is in his first term as mayor.
He is a retired group publisher for trade magazines.
Kyle, 59, is the retired owner of the former Kyle Pontiac-Buick on Vermilion’s west side.
The dealership was started by his grandfather in 1938 and was bought out by General Motors when the automaker eliminated its Pontiac line of cars.
He currently works as salesman for Pat O’Brien Chevrolet in Vermilion.