ELYRIA, Ohio — Days after the primary election, a Lorain County race is still too close to call.
According to unofficial results, just 17 votes separate the Republican candidates in a bid for a county commission seat in an election where just over 25% of registered voters cast ballots.
Incumbent Jeff Riddell received 9,677 votes to challenger Will Schlechter’s 9,660 votes. Depending on where you were in the county, the results margin varied.
“I plan to vote for Jeff,” said Shawn Eyring-Smith. “I do see a lot of progress. I see houses being redone and the old ones being torn down. I think he’ll do good for Elyria or Lorain County.”
The Elyria voter said she had no issues with how the current commissioner is leading the county. Likewise, many other urban voters agreed.
Riddell won the Republican primary in most of the county’s major cities, including Elyria, Lorain, North Ridgeville, Sheffield Lake, Avon and Avon Lake.
His campaign is touting “progress over politics” in the businessman’s second bid for county commission. He’s been a proponent for development and investment, including an upgraded sewer system on the county’s West Side.
“It’s all about putting the pieces of the puzzle together and that’s what we’re doing now,” he said in an interview with News 5 in March.
The sewer project is tied to funding connected to the development of a so-called “mega site” in New Russia Township. In the rural community, some voters said they see the election as a referendum on the county’s current leadership.
“I think it’s over his whole four-year term on different issues and the commissioners as a whole, too,” said Judy Emerich.
Political newcomer Will Schlechter won New Russia Township with about 84% of the Republican vote. Across the county’s villages and townships, he won by more than 62%.
“Once the farmland’s gone, you don’t get it back,” said Emerich.
Schlechter has publicly opposed development projects in rural Lorain County, including the mega site. He told News 5 on Thursday that he believed conversations over development are “absolutely a factor” in the election outcome.
Riddell did not return a request for comment Thursday.
The Lorain County Board of Elections said there are still 98 outstanding provisional ballots, and those voters will have until Saturday to “cure” their ballots.
Next week, the board will meet to review all provisional and absentee ballots. If the margin is still less than 0.5%, state law requires an automatic recount.
The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic candidate Carolyn White in the general election.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
