Ashtabula County Voters Approve Most Levies, Reject School Bonds

Ashtabula County voters cast 19,054 ballots on November 4, representing a 32.49% turnout of registered voters. The election saw widespread approval of renewal levies for essential services, while two major school bond issues were decisively defeated.

Judicial Races

Laura DiGiacomo won the Ashtabula Municipal Court Judge position with 4,656 votes, capturing 78.37% of ballots cast. In Conneaut Municipal Court, Nicholas A. Iarocci secured the judgeship with 2,979 votes at 83.12%.

Municipal Leaders

In Ashtabula’s city council races, RoLesia R. Holman won Ward 3 with 163 votes, while Jodi Mills took Ward 4 with 317 votes. Jane DiGiacomo defeated Mary L. Graves in Ward 5, receiving 226 votes for 61.08%.

Terry A. Moisio Jr. was elected Conneaut’s President of Council with 1,337 votes. For the two at-large council seats, Nicholas Perkoski led with 913 votes, followed by Mariana Branch with 853 votes. Thomas E. Kozesky won the Ward 4 council seat with 138 votes.

Duane Helms narrowly won the Roaming Shores mayoral race with 265 votes, while David F. Draves edged out Suzanne Hayes for Rock Creek mayor by a single vote, 84 to 83.

School Bonds Fail

Voters rejected both major school bond issues on the ballot. The Ashtabula School District’s $3.82 million bond failed with 78.03% voting against. Geneva Area City School District’s bond issue also went down, with 74.47% opposed.

Levy Results

Most renewal and replacement levies passed comfortably. The countywide developmental disabilities renewal levy approved with 58% support. Ashtabula City’s senior center renewal passed at 64.14%.

Jefferson Village renewed both its fire levy at 72.74% and current expenses levy at 58.38%. Ashtabula Township approved police and roads levies at 64.21% and 67.74% respectively.

Monroe Township passed a fire addition levy with 62.73%, while Saybrook Township renewed its park levy at 61.74%.

Two levies squeaked through by narrow margins. Dorset Township’s fire addition levy passed with just 50.53% of votes, a three-vote margin. Jefferson Township’s roads replacement levy also barely passed at 50.45%.

Defeated Levies

Hartsgrove Township’s fire addition levy failed with 53.67% against. Plymouth Township rejected both fire and roads replacement levies at 52.42% and 58.91% respectively. Pierpont Township’s cemetery addition levy went down with 51.95% opposed.

Other Results

Two liquor option measures passed. Ashtabula City’s measure approved with 55.32% voting yes, while Conneaut’s passed more decisively at 76.42%.

For the Educational Service Center governing board, Harlan S. Waid Jr. led with 4,056 votes, followed by Joseph Donatone with 3,920 and Rick Hoyson with 3,492.

In school board races, Jessica Anderson topped the Ashtabula Area City School District ballot with 3,410 votes. Joseph E. Cooper led Geneva Area City School District voting with 2,238 votes, followed by Elizabeth Anne Cybulski with 1,970 and Steven Andrus with 1,692.

All 104 precincts reported results.