PARMA, Ohio — A Parma pit bull ban that was on the ballot this month and upheld after winning with just a handful of votes has been recounted with similar results.
Earlier this month, unofficial election results showed that the ban was upheld by 21 votes. After the recount, officials determined that the ban was upheld by an even narrower margin — 14 votes.
Concerns regarding the ban were heard on both sides of the aisle, so city officials put the ban up to a vote for residents to decide.
Parma’s mayor, Tim DeGeeter, gave News 5 the following statement when the first unofficial results came out following the election:
“From the beginning, the administration and Parma City Council wanted to give Parma residents a voice on the city’s ordinance prohibiting pit bulls. We heard passionate opinions on both sides of the issue in council meetings and in the community, which was reflected in the close margin on Election Day. Putting Issue 10 on the ballot was the best path forward and the most democratic way to settle the issue – an approach upon which advocates on both sides were supportive. We also didn’t weigh in either way on the issue in order to allow the public to decide. We’ll abide by whatever is determined by the official election results.”
