Heights election results are too close to call

While parents and educators in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District breathed a sigh of relief as the school levy, Issue 6,  passed handily in the November 2011 elections, the races for local city councils were too close to call.

Preliminary results in the Cleveland Heights City Council election showed a close race between current Council Member Phyllis Evans and challengers Mary Dunbar and Jeff Coryell. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections voted to certify election results on Nov. 29, including provisional and other ballots that were unavailable on Election Day. The board determined that an automatic recount was required because the margin of victory is less than one-half percent. The results of the recount won’t be available until sometime in December.

Council Member Dennis Wilcox received the most votes, 7,140, securing him a seat on council. The next three candidates—Evans, with 6,494; Dunbar, with 6,447; and Coryell, with 6,383—were so close that they will trigger an automatic recount. 

If the results stand, Evans and Dunbar will join Wilcox on council.

Cleveland Heights Council Member Jason Stein, who ran unopposed for an unexpired term, was elected with 8,630 votes.

In the University Heights City Council election, Adele Zucker, former vice mayor, was the top vote getter, with 1,752 votes. Newcomer Pamela Cameron was elected, with 1,502 votes. Several candidates were within one-half percent of each other: Tom Cozzens, with 1,354 votes; Steven Sims, with 1,331: Kevin Patrick Muphy, with 1,309; Conor McLaughlin, with 1,288, and Steven Bennett, with 1,265 . An automatic recount is necessary to determine the final two seats on council.

In other races, Nancy Peppler and Eric Coble ran unopposed for Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education and were reelected. Judge Deane Buchanan, who ran unopposed for Cleveland Heights Municipal Judge, was also reelected.

To see election results for all of Cuyahoga County, visit www.boe.cuyahogacount.us.