Voter turnout in Newark hits quarter century low in mayoral elections

Kent Mallett | Newark Advocate

NEWARK – Voter participation in the Newark mayoral race fell to the lowest level in a quarter century, with fewer than 10,000 votes cast for the first time since at least 1991.

Mayor Jeff Hall, a Republican, won a third term with fewer than 5,000 votes in a growing city of 50,000 residents and 30,000 registered voters.

Voter turnout in the city dropped to 27.6%, down from 36% in 2015, and 43% in 2011. Turnout in mayoral election years varied from 41% to 48% from 1995 through 2011. In 1995, when the city had 6,000 fewer residents,12,300 voted, or 48%. This year, only 8,403 voted for mayor.

Voters seem driven to the polls by issues, Hall said, such as on collective bargaining in 2011 and recreational marijuana in 2015. Advertising money spent on those campaigns got voters' attention, he said.

"We didn't have that this year," Hall said. "Voter turnout, it was low. I go in anticipating that. Twenty-seven percent is not overly surprising."

Mayoral candidate Jeremy Blake, a Democratic city councilman, received 40% of the vote in his first mayoral campaign. Blake said he tried to get the message out to people that their vote affects the condition of their streets, neighborhood policing, fire response, drug abuse and homelessness.

"I feel like people are not relating the vote to what's happening in their daily lives," Blake said. "Translating those issues to a vote for mayor, we just have to educate people about that. People are just becoming disengaged with politics and community, and we just have to get people more actively engaged in civic life."

The 2nd Ward, where Blake lives, had the lowest voter turnout of any ward in the city, at 17%, according to unofficial election results. Eight years ago, the 2nd Ward turnout was 28%. And, 24 years ago, turnout was 43% in the 2nd Ward. Ward boundaries, however, can change with each census, so historic comparisons may be unfair.

Voter turnout was lowest in the three traditionally Democratic wards. In addition to the 2nd Ward, the 1st Ward, in the east end, had 19.3% turnout. The 7th Ward, immediately north of downtown, had 21.6% voter participation. Combined, the three wards posted a 19.3% turnout.

"It just tells me that we have to continue to educate our community that every year is an election year," Blake said. "It might just be frustration. I think national politics may have something to say about that."

If Blake had won all the votes cast in the 1st, 2nd and 7th wards, he would still have lost the election by more than 500 votes. The other four wards, all represented on city council by Republicans, had a 32.6% turnout. Hall won six of seven wards, losing only in the 2nd Ward.

A couple changes to voting through the years have been the expansion of early/absentee voting, and the reduction in polling locations. Early and absentee voting began on Oct. 8, providing an opportunity to those who couldn't make it to the polls on Election Day.

But, for those voting on Election Day, there are fewer polling locations. In 1999, Newark had 25 polling locations. Now, there are six places to vote in Newark and 27 in the entire county.

The polling place for all of the 8,460 registered voters in the 2nd and 4th Wards was at the American Legion. The 4th Ward had voted at the YMCA.

"The parking at the American Legion was horrible," Blake said. "I can't tell you how many potential accidents there were. I hope the board of elections tries to find another location. Two wards at the American Legion is too much."

Licking County Board of Elections Director Brian Mead said there were a few complaints about the American Legion location from voters who preferred to stay at the YMCA. But, no changes are planned for 2020, a presidential election year. Mead said he does not believe fewer voting locations reduces turnout.

"I don't believe the number of locations drives turnout one way or another," Mead said. "I don't buy into that. I have no doubt we'll probably have record turnout next year with the presidential election."

Newark was not alone, however, in voter apathy. Turnout was 29.5% in Licking County, down from 43.5% in 2015 and 50.7% in 2011.

In addition to parts of Newark, the lowest turnouts were in Heath, Pataskala and Bennington Township. Bennington Township voters cast their ballots at Hartford School this year, replacing the Bennington Township Hall. Mead said some didn't like the change.

The highest turnouts were in the townships of Union, Franklin, Licking, Eden, and Granville.

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8545

Twitter: @kmallett1958

By The Numbers

* In 1995, three Newark wards had voter turnouts greater than 50%. In 2011, one ward was above 50% and another at 49.5%. This year, no wards even reached 40%.

* Jeremy Blake won his home 2nd Ward, 367 votes to 293 votes, but did not win any other wards.

* In Newark's 5th Ward, Jeff Hall more than doubled Blake, 1,324 votes to 628 votes.

* Jeff Hall received 2,047 fewer votes than four years ago.

* There were almost as many votes in Newark's 5th Ward (1,952) as the 1st, 2nd and 7th wards combined (2,181).

In 1995, Frank Stare received 7,278 votes in winning a second term. In the last six mayoral elections, the winner has not reached that total, although Hall was close in 2015 (7,039).

* The lowest precinct turnouts in the county were Pataskala 2B (14.1%) and Granville C (14.3%).

* The only precinct in the county with turnout above 50 percent was Newark 5A (51.4).

* Jim Layton won the Hebron mayoral election as a write-in with 201 votes. Brandon Daubenmire, also a write-in, had 144 votes.

* James Quiniff won the Utica mayoral race with 169 votes, beating Robert Curtis with 138 and Lester Grennell with 129.

* Incumbent Joe Hart lost his re-election bid for Licking Township trustee, finishing second in a five-candidate race. John Cormican was the winner.