Some Medina County Election Results

In Medina County on Election Day, November 6, 2007, there were some suprising results and for Medina County Democrats, some very disappointing results. There was the approval of the Medina Library levy by a very thin margin of 202 votes according to the unofficial results from the Board of Elections. There was the defeat of the Cloverleaf replacement levy but the passage of a levy for the Highland School District.

The surprising results were in local races. Two incumbent township trustees in Hinckley and Westfield townships were defeated; an incumbent mayor in Lodi Village was defeated; and a former Republican country prosecutor and judge who had been defeated in re-election campaigns for both offices was defeated in her bid to become Medina Township trustee.

Democrats were elected to township trustee positions in York, Westfield, Hinckley, Litchfield, and Medina townships. Democrats were elected to township fiscal officer positions in Brunswick Hills and Litchfield townships. An incumbent Democratic township trustee in Sharon was re-elected and the new Mayor of Lodi is a registered Democrat.

The disappointing results were in the cities of Medina and Wadsworth. The Chair of the Medina County Democratic Party was defeated in her re-election bid for Medina City Council President. The Wadsworth Democratic Party picked up an at-large seat on City Council, but lost two council seats by a total of 49 votes. Democrats also lost in races for Wadsworth Mayor and City Council President.

In analyzing the results for Wadsworth, one thing that sticks out is the advantage that name recognition and prior ballot experience plays in politics. In the race for Mayor and City Council President the Republicans had two candidates who had been on the ballot before and had held city office before, although they were running for different offices than the ones they now hold. In one of the close ward races, the Republican candidate was an incumbent while the Democratic candidate was running for political office for the first time.

Another factor in both Wadsworth and Medina was money. In both cities the Republican candidates had more money than the Democratic candidates. Since running for office is basically conducting an advertising campaign designed to let voters know who you are and where you stand on issues, having more money really helps. The more money you have, the more advertising you can conduct.

Those two factors, name recognition and money, helped the Wadsworth Republicans beat back an excellent and very determined campaign by the Wadsworth City Democrats to take control of the city hall. It is small consolation to candidates who come up short, especially in a close race, but the Wadsworth Dems have a lot to be proud of, even if the results weren't what they wanted.