Heights School Levy Projected To Pass, Headed For Recount

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — The 4.8 mill Heights Schools levy is projected to have passed by a razor-thin margin in the Nov. 3 general election.

More than 29,000 votes were cast on the levy issue between Oct. 6 and Nov. 3. Based on unofficial election results, the levy is passing by 65 votes. Will that trigger a recount? It's not yet clear.

"Once the election is certified and we have official results we will know if the vote totals have a difference of less than one half of one percent, which would trigger a recount," a Cuyahoga County Board of Elections spokesperson told Patch.

Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby said the tightness of the levy issue proves how important every vote is in an election.

"We are cautiously optimistic with the results as of this morning. We trust the process and look forward to receiving the final results. Heights residents have proven time and time again that they are committed to seeing their public schools healthy and thriving. I thank them on behalf of all Tiger Nation staff and students," Kirby said in a statement.

Based off the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections' unofficial results, here's how Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents voted:

Yay: 14,598

Nay: 14,533

Recounts are automatically triggered in municipal issues in Ohio if the margin of difference is 0.5 percent of less. All results announced on Nov. 3 or Nov. 4 will be unofficial tallies. Final, official voting results are due from each county by Nov. 24. Officials will have until Dec. 3 to request a recount.

Based on the unofficial results, Cleveland Heights residents tended to vote in favor of the levy, while University Heights residents tended to vote against the levy.

In March, voters defeated a 7.8 mill levy for the district. The margin of victory was approximately 600 votes during that primary election. That levy divided the community, with yard signs advocating for and against the levy lining nearly every street in the two communities.

The question of levies on the Heights communities has not grown less divisive over the past six months. Tiger Nation 4 Lower Taxes is again asking voters to defeat the levy, asking the district to instead perform a state audit before asking voters for more funding. District officials have said the corrosive effect of state vouchers, coupled with a freeze in state funding, has left a glaring hole in the school system's budget.