Republican Stark County Commissioner Alan Harold won his primary race Tuesday night, defeating challenger Joe Schultz as voters across Stark County also weighed in on several closely watched statewide races and local issues during Ohio’s primary election, according to unofficial results from the Stark County Board of Elections.
Harold defeated Schultz in the Republican primary for Stark County commissioner, receiving 19,088 votes, or 64.59%, compared to Schultz’s 10,463 votes. Democrat Tony Townsend was unopposed in the Democratic commissioner primary and received 21,802 votes.
Republican Angela Kinsey defeated Scott Svab in the Stark County auditor primary, 19,786 votes to 8,927. Democrat Chalice Brown was unopposed and received 21,844 votes.
Stark County voters also decided several local issues Tuesday night. Voters rejected Issue 2, a bond issue for Plain Local Schools, by a vote of 5,620 to 5,004. Voters also narrowly rejected Issue 4, a Stark Area Regional Transit Authority levy renewal, with 31,573 votes against the issue and 29,846 in favor.
Among measures that passed, voters approved a Canton Local School District tax levy, 1,348 to 1,017; a Louisville City Schools levy, 2,799 to 2,229; and a Plain Township tax levy, 4,882 to 3,333. Perry Township voters rejected a township levy, 3,480 to 2,036.
Voter turnout in Stark County reached 25.5%, with 62,232 ballots cast out of 244,054 registered voters. All 274 precincts reported results.
In the Republican primary for Ohio governor and lieutenant governor, Vivek Ramaswamy and State Sen. Robert McColley overwhelmingly carried Stark County with 24,668 votes, or 81.67%, defeating Casey Putsch and Kimberly Georgeton, who received 5,536 votes. Democrat Amy Acton and David Pepper were unopposed and received 24,589 votes.
Republican Jon Husted received 28,694 votes unopposed in the race for the unexpired U.S. Senate term. On the Democratic side, former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown defeated Ron Kincaid in Stark County, 22,428 votes to 2,773.
In the Republican primary for Ohio secretary of state, Robert Sprague defeated Marcell Strbich with 20,922 votes, or 71.59%. Republican Jay Edwards narrowly defeated Kristina Roegner in the state treasurer race, 15,562 votes to 13,833.
The Republican primary for Ohio Supreme Court justice for the term beginning Jan. 2, 2027, was one of the closest statewide contests locally. Colleen O’Donnell led the field with 7,964 votes, narrowly edging Andrew King, who received 7,885 votes. Jill Lanzinger received 6,479 votes and Ronald Lewis received 5,499.
In the Republican primary for Ohio’s 6th Congressional District, incumbent Michael Rulli defeated Jullie Kelley in Stark County with 10,827 votes, or 69.49%. Democrat Elizabeth Kirtley led the Democratic field in the district with 4,199 votes.
Meanwhile, in the Republican primary for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, Carey Coleman led a five-candidate field in Stark County with 4,566 votes, or 35.85%. Kevin Siembida received 3,061 votes, Margaret Elizabeth Briem received 2,465, Neil Patel received 2,271 and Sanjin Drakovac received 374. Democrat Emilia Sykes was unopposed and received 13,786 votes.
Republican Jane Timken was unopposed in the 29th Ohio Senate District race and received 25,966 votes, while Democrat Thomas West received 21,960 votes unopposed.
One of the more competitive local legislative races came in the Republican primary for the 48th Ohio House District, where Christina Hagan defeated three challengers with 6,243 votes, or 47.57%. Ed Lohnes received 3,639 votes, Sue Grabowski received 1,704 and Greg Wolfe received 1,538.
In judicial races, Matt Donahue won the Republican primary for the Fifth District Court of Appeals seat, defeating Matthew George and Jeff Furr with 13,629 votes, or 49.84%. Kristen Moore defeated Jennifer Fitzsimmons in the Democratic primary for Stark County Common Pleas Court General Division, receiving 15,242 votes to Fitzsimmons’ 8,372.
