Two villages voted themselves out of existence on Tuesday

Scott Wartman | Cincinnati Enquirer

Two villages decided on Tuesday to not exist.

Residents in Amelia and Newtonsville chose to surrender the villages' powers, meaning they will become unincorporated areas of their surrounding townships.

The vote in Amelia wasn't close, with 68 percent of the voters deciding to dissolve this community of 5,000 people.

In Newtonsville, population 400, the vote was only seven votes: 53-46.

More: Ever been to Newtonsville, Ohio? Now's your chance. It's one of two local villages that could disappear

The two villages in the rural and suburban Clermont County just east of Cincinnati join a growing number of towns that have decided to call it quits in recent years. Counting Amelia and Newtonsville, 14 municipalities across Ohio have dissolved in the face of rising costs and dwindling revenues.

Amelia is a metropolis compared to the other 13 towns, the largest by far of any municipality in Ohio that has called it quits in recent years. All but one of the other towns had less than 500 people.

In the case of Amelia and Newtonsville, the imposition of a 1% earnings tax spurred residents to petition for the villages' dissolution.

So who will govern Amelia and Newtonsville now? Amelia will get split between Pierce and Batavia townships.

Newtonsville will be absorbed into Wayne Township.