Heights School Levy, Issue 69 Too Close To Call On Election Night

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — The fate of the Heights School levy, Issue 69, was too close to call on election night with the difference between the yays and nays being within the margin to trigger an automatic recount.

Voters in Cleveland Heights and University Heights were asked to decide the fate of a 4.8 mill school levy on Tuesday. The new levy breaks down to 48 cents for each $100,000 of home valuation.

On Tuesday, with 100 percent of scanners reporting, there were more than 28,000 votes cast on the levy question. The nays held a narrow 35-vote lead, based on unofficial vote tallies. There may still be early votes yet to be tallied in the election though, the county board of elections said on its website.

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.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections says 100 percent of precincts in the school district are now reporting. 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.

Yes: 14,030

No: 14,065

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Election Day

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. on Nov. 3 and closed at 7:30 p.m.

Many polling sites reported long lines at various points throughout the day, indicating voter turnout was still strong despite an unprecedented number of early votes.

Early Voting During COVID-19

With the pandemic threatening the lives and well-being of Ohioans, there was an unprecedented surge of early voting (both in-person and via absentee ballots).

Early voting for the upcoming general election began Oct. 6 in Ohio. Early in-person voting ended on Nov. 2, one day prior to the general election.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose said 3.4 million early votes were cast in Ohio, shattering all previous records in the state.

"Inspiring. There’s no other word for it,” LaRose said.

Election officials can begin scanning absentee ballots as they are received, but those votes are not tabulated until the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3.