Greene County is located in southwestern Ohio between Dayton (Montgomery County), Cincinnati and Columbus. Having a distinct flavor of gentrified country, it boasts an eclectic mix of rural farms and wild lands, suburban havens, small towns and villages, and access to metropolitan living.
According to the 2007 voting calendar, Greene County holds elections four times a year. May is for primary elections. February and August are for special elections. These are not required. Cities, townships and localities may hold them by official request (say for example: if they want to pass an emergency fire or school levy). November is for general elections. This year’s general elections for Greene County will be held on Nov. 6 2007. This article will give you a quick guide to locations and issues, polling places, important voting information and links to get additional information.
Below is a quick guide to municipalities. You can skim it to see if your region will have elections, and the basic types. Greene County has 12 townships, 12 municipalities (cities or villages) — three of which are share by other counties– and two unincorporated localities. Remember, municipalities are located in townships. Just because your city isn’t listed, doesn’t mean there isn’t an election you can vote in. Precincts are smaller voting sections within a township or municipality. Links at the bottom of the article will direct you to find out what township and precinct you live in, as well as to find your voting location.
Also in this article is a list of all of the offices and issues up for votes per the Greene County Board of Elections, important descriptions, hot topics, and things to know for voting day.
Nov. 6th elections:
All of those marked with precinct # are regarding liquor sales in that precinct.
i = Issue
c= Candidate
Bath Township – c
Beavercreek Township- i
Beavercreek City – i, #27, c
City of Bellbrook – i, c
Village of Bowersville – i, c
Caesarcreek Township – c
Cedarville Township – i, c
Cedarville Village – i, c
Clifton Village – c
Fairborn City – c
Jamestown – c, #426
Jefferson Township – i
Silvercreek Township -i
Spring Valley Township -i, c
Sugarcreek Township & precinct -i, #150,c
Xenia Township – i,
Xenia City – i, c, #301, #302, #307
Village of Yellow Springs – i, c
Greene County (vocational) – i
Governing Board of Education – i
The most controversial issues are Beavercreek’s School District Levy, Fairborn School Board, Bellbrook and Yellow Springs Council. Rumors circulating on Craig’s List, and in casual conversation, are that Beavercreek residents are simply over taxed by there steadily increasing tax rates; they feel frustrated by previous levies meant to bail out the school system, but used to pay for a new board of education. Beavercreek also sees a highly contested council race, and a contested school board race.
The Fairborn School District has been in trouble with the state in the past for underperformance and fiscal issues. They’ve been in a state of emergency. The last school board election brought in new blood. The Fairborn School District has scored excellent for at least two years. If they continue to improve for another year, they will be out of a state of emergency. At least one new contender is in the race. The new contender ran jointly with another challenger in the last election, who successfully won the bid, though the contender did not.
The Yellow Springs Council is amid a period of political unrest. The residents of Yellow Springs are deeply invested in the political process and often challenge the sitting council when they feel it is not fully meeting their needs. Yellow Springs faces a fiscal crisis with the loss of industry and potential loss of Antioch College. Residents are also disturbed by the current council’s serious consideration of signing onto a long term plan for a coal burning plant.
Bellbrook/Sugarcreek edges onto a deeply controversial plan to convert a long standing family farm into new housing and business developments. Upon the owner’s death the inheritors sold the farm. Residents are upset to see their beautiful community identifying pastoral lands turned into another mini mall and strip housing. However others are concerned that Centerville will annex or act otherwise to cause the building. Bellbrook and Sugarcreek face contested races.
People/Seats
# / # = Candidates Running/Seats Available
By Municipality*
Township candidates not included
Beavercreek (Beavercreek Township)
City Council 11/4
School Board 3/2
Bellbrook (Sugarcreek Township*)
City Mayor 1/1
City Council 4/3
School Board 4/2*
Governing Board of Education 1/2**
Bowersville (Jefferson Township)
Village Mayor 2/1
Village Council 3/2
Village Clerk 2/1
Cedarville (Cedarville Township, Cedar-Cliff Region*)
Village Mayor 2/1
Village Council 3/2
Cedar-Cliff School Board*
Governing Board of Education 1/2**
Clifton (Miami Township, Cedar-Cliff Region*)
Village Mayor 1/1
Village Council 2/2
Village Treasurer 1/1
Cedar-Cliff School Board*
Fairborn (Bath Township)
Municipal Judge 1/1
City Mayor 1/1
City Council 6/3 (1 unexpired seat)
School Board 4/3
Jamestown (Silvercreek Township)
Village Mayor 2/1
Village Council 3/2 (1 unexpired seat)
Board of Public Affairs 1/1
Greeneview School Board
Governing Board of Education 1/2 **
Spring Valley (Spring Valley)
Village Mayor 1/1
Village Council 3/2 (1 unexpired seat)
Clerk-Treasurer 2/1
Xenia (Xenia Township*)
Municipal Judge 2/?
City Council 7/4
School Board 2/2*
Yellow Springs (Miami Township)
Village Mayor 1/1
Village Council 6/3
School Board 5/2
Greene County (vocational)
General Permanent Improvements Renewal
By Townships
(Does not include municipality seats)
The following have uncontested races for Trustee and Fiscal Officer, 1 candidate/1 seat each:
Bath, Cedarville, Miami, New Jasper, Ross, Spring Valley
Townships with contested races:
Beavercreek
Trustee 1/1 (Richard Little Withdrawn)
Fiscal Officer 2/1
Caesarcreek
Trustee 1/1
Fiscal Offcier 2/1
Jefferson
Trustee 2/1
Fiscal Officer 1/1
Silvercreek
Trustee3/1
Fiscal Officer 1/1
School Board 4/2
Sugarcreek
Trustee3/1
Fiscal Officer 1/1
Governing Board of Education 1/2**
Xenia
Trustee2/1
Fiscal Officer 2/1
School Board 2/2
* Is a township issue that affects the city or village.
**Governing Board of Education 1/2
One candidate is running though there are two open slots, leaving one slot open. There is a write in candidate running. If the write in candidate receives 30 votes they will fill in the vacant slot. If they do not receive 30 votes the vacancy is then treated as an open position for employment. According to a current council member, the existing board will likely set requirements that restrict candidates for employment to be from the voting regions Sugarcreek, Jamestown, Cedarville, and Bellbrook. This board serves the Greene County Educational Center which services the entire county. However, due to existing rules, City and Village schools may not vote for the board. Only those districts classified as local can vote for this board.
Many of these issues involve tax levy additions or renewals. The “mill” after the number (ex 2 mill) does NOT equal million. It’s the rate which is multiplied by the taxing authoritie’s assessed value of a property (usually lower than the actual value). That number is then divided by 1000 to arrive at the actual property tax the home owner pays. The key here is: the higher the mills, the higher the property tax will be. Renewal means it’s a tax that the community already pays, so taxes will not increase unless the value of a homeowner’s property increases. Additional means that this is in addition to taxes already paid. The majority of tax levies on the ballot are renewal levies.
One of these issues is a rezoning issue, and one is a charter amendment. The charter amendment is, according to the Yellow Springs News, to ensure competitive bidding in certain village services, remove a section regarding making budget documents public, and make local ordinance “…unless otherwise regulated, local personnel policy is to take precedence over state law.” The public nature of budget documents are quoted as already being mandated by state law.
Issues
Each issue is generally denoted on the ballet by the issue number.
Beavercreek City School District
16 Bond Issue
$89,300,000
3.65 mills
Beavercreek Township
7 Fire Levy
Renewal- 2 mills- 5 years- commencing 2008
8 Parks District
Acquiring, Improving, Maintaining and Operating
Additional- 0.4 mill- 5 years- commencing 2008
City of Bellbrook
18 Operating Expenses
Replacement- 1.3 mills- 5 years- commencing 2008
Village of Bowersville
19 Operating Expenses
Renewal- 3.5 mills- 5 years- commencing 2007
Cedarville Township and Village
9 Operating Expenses
Renewal- 1.5 mills- 5 years- commencing 2007
10 Fire Levy
Renewal- 1.5 mills- 5 years- commencing 2008
Jefferson Township
11 Fire Levy
Renewal- 1.5 mills- 5 years- commencing 2007
Spring Valley Township
13 Fire Levy
Renewal- 1 mill- 5 years- commencing 2008
Sugarcreek Township
14 Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Renewal- 2 mills- 5 years- commencing 2008
Xenia Township
15 Zoning Referendum Petition
Regarding Resolution to Rezone 4.236 Acres from
E-Rural Suburban Residential District to B-2
Neighborhood Business District- at 658 Old Hook Rd.
Village of Yellow Springs
20 Charter Amendment #1
Greene County Vocational School District
17 General Permanent Improvements
Renewal- 0.75 mill- 5 years- commencing 2007
Local Issues
This election’s precinct votes all have to do with giving liquor permits or adding Sunday liquor sales. Except where marked, Sunday liquor sales are between 10 am and midnight.
-Beavercreek precinct #27: The Beavercreek Sunoco wants to add wine and mixed beverages for Sunday sales.
-Jamestown precinct #426: Deb’s place is requesting a D-3 liquor permit for spirituous liquor. A D-3 permit, per ORC 4303.15 is a license for a restaurant or night club to serve “Spirituous liquor for on premises consumption only until 1:00am.
-Sugarcreek Township precinct #150: The Kroger’s on Wilmington Pike wants to add Sunday sales of wine and mixed beverages.
– Xenia City, precinct #301: LA Bar and Grill wants to add Sunday sales of wine, mixed beverages and spirituous liquor. Precinct #302: Motomart wants to add Sunday sales of beer between 1 pm and midnight. Precinct #307: F.O.E. Aerie 1689 and Stan’s Bar and Grille want to add Sunday sales of wine, mixed beverages and spirituous liquor.
Basic Voter Information
Absentee Ballot Voting is allowed with out requiring a reason be to given in the state of Ohio. The ballot must be requested prior to the election. Provisional ballots are allowed, however there is some concern whether they will be counted since the law in the last election required them to be given but not to be counted. There were charges of provisional ballots being discarded (as well as other election improprieties) all over Ohio in the 2004 election, Greene County included. Testimony of this was given by several, including Evelyn Roberts, an election recount observer, in December of 2004. Because of this, the state of Ohio has tried to create election reform. A consequence is that every voter must have ID at the polls. They can use a driver’s license regardless of the address stated, or they can use a photo ID current utility bill, bank statement, government check or other government document showing the voter’s name and current address.
This is a requirement of all voters. Irregularities in voting procedures can be reported to the Greene County Board of Elections. The Secretary of State also has thorough information on voting and election day
Disclosures: The author of this article is related to candidate Tess Little for Fairborn City School Board, and previously had a close working relationship with Candidate Stephen McFarland for Clifton Village Mayor.
The following sources were used to create this article:
