OneZone - Election Recap

By: Jack Russell, Interim President at OneZone

Election Recap
 
Every year, I make my way to the Hamilton County Courthouse to get the latest information on the election results. However this year, due to COVID-19 I got to sit at the Hamilton County Fair Grounds. It was a different atmosphere, but thanks to the clerk’s office the technology was effective and quick. I was stunned to find out that there were over 37,000 mail-in ballots this year. Below are some results of importance to the Hamilton County business community:
 
On the federal side, with Congresswoman Susan Brooks retiring her House seat, Republican and State Senator Victoria Spartz won the primary with 40% of the vote in a very crowded field of candidates. On the democratic side, former state representative and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Christina Hale won her primary. This will setup an interesting November election, with a huge media focus and likely significant national dollars pouring into each campaign.
 
At the state level, both Representative Tony Cook and Senator John Ruckelshaus won their respective primaries. Representatives Donna Schaibley, Chuck Goodrich, Jerry Torr, and Speaker of the House Todd Huston did not have primary opponents. The open seat for House District 88 (held by former Speaker of the House Brian Bosma) was won by attorney Chris Jeter won the District 88 race. The District 20 Senate Race formerly held by Victoria Spartz was won by businessman Scott Baldwin.
 
Local races around the county included the county commissioner and council at-large races. Current County Commissioner Steve Dillinger won his race on Tuesday. There will be some new faces on the council in 2021. The County Council At-Large race winners included Sue Maki, Steve Nation, and Brad Beaver. Both Maki and Nation will be new to the council. Below are the percentages for this race:
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• 15.09% BRANDON (BRAD) BEAVER
• 8.14% LYNEEN BURROW
• 13.90% JOHN DITSLEAR
• 11.08% JEFF HERN
• 17.99% SUE MAKI
• 11.18% RALPH F. (RICK) McKINNEY
• 14.96% STEVEN R NATION
• 7.66% TONY SCOTT

 
As we head into the November general election, keep a lookout for events, information, and more on federal, state, and local races. Finally, remember to mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 3rd – voting is the way you can ensure that your vote is heard!