Only three votes separated those for the zoning change and those against, which prompted an automatic recount of the votes cast.
After recounting all of the ballots, the final, official tally was 617 votes for the rezoning and 614 against, according to Elections Board Director Llyn McCoy.
EARLIER
Results are still too close to call from the May 8 election on the Kil-Kare Speedway rezoning request referendum in Xenia Twp.
After more ballots were counted, results show voters supporting the zoning change 617 to 614, according to Greene County Elections Director Llyn McCoy.
That’s a different result from election night when the final, unofficial tally showed the zoning change being rejected by voters by two votes.
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Seven more votes were added to the count for the Xenia Twp. issue, four valid absentee ballots and three valid provisional ballots, McCoy said
The Greene County Board of Elections met Tuesday to certify the results from the May 8 election.
The marginal difference between those who support the Xenia Twp. zoning decision and those who oppose it is less than half of 1 percent, which triggered an automatic recount under state election law.
McCoy said the recount, which involves 5 percent of the ballots being counted by hand, will happen May 30.
Marshall Foiles, partner to Kil-Kare Owner David Coterel, was excited about the change in the results.
“We are going to build some nice store and lock buildings,” he said.
Xenia Twp. Administrator Alan Stock said if the recount is completed on May 30, the elections board is expected to vote to certify the results at 4 p.m. If the recount is not completed that same day, the results would be certified at the same time the next day.
RELATED: Kil-Kare rezoning rejected by 2 votes in referendum
“The Greene County BOE meticulously follows careful procedures to be accurate and impartial,” Stock said. “Xenia Twp. residents can be sure whatever the outcome that their vote counted.”
Unofficial results from election night showed the rezoning issue was rejected by the voters by a margin of two votes.
Voters were asked to approve or reject township trustees’ decision to rezone nearly 23 acres near Kil-Kare Speedway. Residents cast 613 no votes and 611 yes votes, according to final, unofficial results.
If the Xenia Twp. issue somehow wound up in a tie, Xenia Twp. Administrator Alan Stock said the trustees’ vote of 2-1 in favor of the zoning change last August would stand.
David Reed, the attorney representing the group who oppose the zoning change — “Xenia for Smart Growth” — could not be reached for comment.
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