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Election a success

The 2015 general election has come and gone. And although there were dozens of races and issues on local ballots, poll workers and county elections boards made the process a smooth one.

Voters across the Buckeye State rejected a constitutional amendment that would have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use, largely due to a provision that would have granted certain growers exclusive rights to produce the crop, many voters said.

Also at the state level, a legislative redistricting overhaul was approved, along with a ban on constitutional monopolies.

Locally, several communities elected new leaders to mayoral offices and council seats. The cities of St.?Clairsville and Martins Ferry both will have new mayors at the helm beginning in 2016, as will the villages of Belmont, Morristown, Hopedale and Woodsfield. Council members were chosen in several municipalities as well, and a few new school board members were elected.

Topping Harrison County ballots was a bond issues to fund construction of new schools. Voters approved that measure, along with a levy in support of the Harrison?County General Health District that will allow it ton continue operations.

Steubenville voters rejected an income tax increase to fund police operations and elected a pair of new council members. Across Jefferson County, though, voters approved of several school-related levies.

In addition to candidates for office, Belmont County voters had 33 issues to consider and approved of 31.

Proponents of Issue 3, the failed marijuana initiative, sought and won an injunction that forced Hamilton County polling places to remain open for an extra 90 minutes. A judge ordered the extended voting hours due to problems with a new electronic check-in system, also issuing a mandate that election results across the state be withheld until 9 p.m.

Despite that delay, the election went well. Kudos to the many people in our region and across Ohio who made it a success.

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