Veteran Judge Nick Kuntz was holding a commanding lead over two challengers in his bid for a fourth and final term in the Montgomery County Juvenile Court.
According to unofficial final results, Kuntz, a Democrat, had more votes than Republican Jeffrey Rezabek and Independent C. Ralph Wilcoxson II combined. Kuntz has been on the bench since 1994 and previously held a series of positions in the court.
“I feel good. I think the right thing happened. I enjoy what I’m doing. I want to keep doing it,” Kuntz said.
KETTERING
Voters support term limits, pay cuts
Kettering voters were strongly supporting charter amendments limiting consecutive terms in office and cutting the pay of the mayor and city council.
Issues 28 and 29 were placed on the ballot through the efforts of a community group, Citizens for a Better Kettering.
Currently there is no limit on the number of consecutive terms for elected officials. Mayors and council members must sit out a four-year term after serving two terms in either office.
COURT OF APPEALS
Republicans leading appellate races
2nd District
With 357,00 votes counted, a retired Miami County prosecutor was leading a long-time Montgomery County prosecutor in the race for a seat on the Ohio 2nd District Court of Appeals.
Republican Jeff Welbaum, retired from the Miami County prosecutor’s office, had a comfortable lead over Democrat Carley Ingram, the current chief of the appellate division in Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. Ingram was leading in Montgomery County, but Welbaum was well ahead across the district, including Greene, Darke, Miami and Clark counties.
12th District
With 302,00 votes counted, a Warren County judge was running well ahead of a Cincinnati lawyer in the race for a seat on the 12th District Court of Appeals.
Michael Powell was appointed by Gov. John Kasich to fill the seat vacated by the death of Judge Rachel Hutzel from cancer in August. Powell, who served as a Warren County prosecutor with Hutzel, has presided for 12 years in Warren County’s juvenile and probate courts.
Raymond W. Lembke, a civil litigator in Clermont County, was selected to run for the seat by Democrats in the eight counties in the district — Butler, Warren, Clermont, Preble, Brown, Clinton, Madison and Fayette.
MIAMI TWP.
Voters defeating police, trash levy renewals
According to unofficial final results, township voters were rejecting tax issues that would renew — with increases — levies for police services and trash pick-up.
The trash renewal levy, Issue 53, is a five-year, 1.4 mill issue that would have cost property owners an additional $15.32 for every $100,000 property value and raised $294,022 to pay for the contracted service.
The police renewal levy, Issue 54, is a five-year, 5 mill issue would have cost an additional $41.35 for every $100,000 property value, and raised $793,859 a year.
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