Who has been elected to represent Lancaster's 2nd, 5th and 6th wards?
The unofficial results from the Fairfield County Board of Elections are in.
All the candidates are Republicans.
2nd Ward
Joe Bizjak won the primary over his two opponents were Talia Barsi and Elliot E. Hall. Bizjak received 196 votes out of 409 votes. Hall had 147 votes and Barsi had 66 votes.
Bizjack is the board liaison at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and has represented the 2nd Ward since January 2024.
He has highlighted his work with the police department and local ADAMH board to try to increase those services and strengthen the partnerships in the community, and has urged the importance of stable housing in Lancaster.
Bizjak thanked everybody who voted for him and placed their confidence in him to serve another term.
"I look forward to serving on 2nd Ward and the City of Lancaster well and being a city council member for all the residents of the 2nd ward, not just Republicans, but Democrats and independents, as well," he said. "I look forward to working with everybody to keep moving Lancaster forward."
5th Ward
This is a close one.
The State of Ohio says that any local results within 0.5 percent of each other are subject to an automatic recount.
Newcomer Ethan Dorr currently has 106 votes, just one more vote than current 5th Ward representative, Kristina Crites at 105.
Dorr, 22, said he decided to run for city council after the public LGBTQ+ pride events and live drag show downtown last September.
Crites was first appointed to a ward seat in 2021 and has since served as clerk of council and has been re-appointed to fill the ward seat. She is also currently the Director of Compliance for a bank.
6th Ward
Stephen Ogg will likely take over the 6th Ward seat from his opponent, Becky Tener, who has served since 2014. Ogg received 164 votes, and Tener received 161.
Ogg currently works at a law office and decided to run, hoping to cut unnecessary spending in the city's budget and lower income and sales tax.
He said he wants people to be able to come to Lancaster, find a job, comfortably live here and raise a family without being taxed excessively.
All election results are unofficial until the local board certifies them.
May 10 is the last day for boards of elections to receive non-UOCAVA absentee ballots by mail that were postmarked on or before May 5. UOCAVA absentee ballots must be received (by mail) by the boards of elections by this date to be counted, according to the Ohio Secretary of State website.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: One vote difference: Lancaster's 5th Ward seat is a close one
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