In Springfield Twp., Amy Galbreath and Devin Burke both said they were focused on the Clark-Shawnee school income tax levy. Burke said he believes in supporting education and schools after he attended Shawnee schools himself and his sister was a teacher for 32 years. Galbreath focused on the big picture.
“The school issue is the most important. If you don’t have a good school system, your property value goes down,” she said. “Children are the future, so we need to keep them educated.”
Credit: Springfield News Sun
Huber Heights residents who showed up to vote on Shull Road may have noticed a familiar face outside their polling location. City Manager John Russell said he took a vacation day to stand outside the polls in the rain with a sign to support the city’s income tax renewal.
“It’s a renewal of a 0.25% income tax that supports police and fire here in Huber Heights,” said Russell, who worked for Huber Heights’ fire department for 25 years before becoming city manager. “I stood out here 10 years ago too, but it was a little better day then. It’s a worthwhile cause, I think. The city services here in Huber Heights — police, fire, even public works — they’re some of the better services in the region and as a resident and a city employee, I support them.”
Judy Macario was also voting in Huber Heights, mainly in support of State Issue 2, which would approve state bond money to pay for local infrastructure projects.
“I think the infrastructure (vote) was important to me, to continue that. We need to maintain it and develop it,” said Macario, who moved here from California in 2021 to retire. “I vote in every election. … In the beginning when I moved here, I wasn’t aware of what was going on politically, but since then, I’ve learned a lot, and I get out and vote.”
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
In Clark County, Leroy Herdman said Tecumseh school and New Carlisle city tax issues were important votes. “I agree with the (city) council. They got a lot of stuff to do,” Herdman said, referring to a 0.5% income tax renewal. “I want to make sure things pass to help the city. I think it’s good for all of us.”
One of New Carlisle’s councilmen, William Lindsey, was at the polls Tuesday morning, saying that the income tax was important for the city’s police department. But he also focused on why people should vote in general.
“The most important reason to vote is that it’s your constitutional right, and if you do not exercise that right, government will attempt to take away that right even though it’s embedded in the constitution … because quite honestly the government you cannot trust, and that’s sad,” Lindsey said.
As far as voter turnout and processing, Macario said she saw some people trickling in despite the rain, and called the voting process itself very smooth. Russell said turnout was low.
“I’ve seen a lot better turnout. I think the weather, and that it’s not a general election probably keeps some people away,” he said.
Staff photographers Joseph Cooke and Bryant Billing contributed to this report.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
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