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McLin, Leitzell walk Dayton streets in final election push

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By Jeremy P. Kelley, Staff Writer Updated 5:52 PM Sunday, November 1, 2009

DAYTON — The campaign for Dayton mayor has reached its final sprint, and both candidates were at high speed Saturday morning, Oct. 31, walking through key neighborhoods to leave campaign literature at as many homes as possible.

“You can see we’re not knocking on doors anymore,” said challenger Gary Leitzell, as he and a half-dozen others worked Woodbine Avenue east of Woodman Drive. “We’re just out hustling.”

Mayor Rhine McLin took the same approach, spending time with people when they approached her on the street, but mostly trying to get out her campaign fliers.

“I call this smelling the sidewalk,” she said as she walked Otterbein Avenue. “The city looks a lot different from a drive-by than it does on a walk-through.”

McLin and Leitzell’s mayoral race is one of the highlights of the Tuesday, Nov. 3, election, along with parks and library levies, a statewide casino issue, and dozens of races for local city council, school board and trustee jobs.

Several other local communities have mayoral races on the ballot including Clayton, Fairborn, Xenia and Piqua.

About 30 Dayton Metro Library supporters fanned out across the county Saturday, urging people to vote for the library’s 1.75-mill tax levy. Library spokesman Mark Willis said supporters were getting in the Halloween spirit for Saturday night’s Oregon District party, some wearing book costumes, and others with signs warning, “Want to see something really scary? No libraries in your community.”

Five Rivers MetroParks officials say 80 percent of their operating revenues are on the line, threatening programs.

Every group planned to keep pushing the next three days.

“It can be the difference between winning and losing,” said Willis.

Staff writer Lynn Hulsey contributed to this report.