Three seats were up for grabs on Delaware City Council during Tuesday’s general election, and the voters have spoken. Two new members have been elected to council, filling the seats vacated by Jim Browning, who did not run for re-election, and Kyle Rohrer, who was elected as a Delaware Municipal Court judge.
In the most contested race, Lisa Keller was re-elected in dominant fashion to continue representing Delaware’s Second Ward, beating out two other candidates in Mike Rush and Stephen Tackett.
Of the 1,341 total votes cast, Keller received 917 of them, good for 68 percent. This marks the third time Keller has been re-elected to council.
Rush came in second with just under 20 percent of the Second Ward’s vote, followed by Stephen Tackett.
Following her win, Keller told The Gazette, “I am honored and privileged to be chosen again to help lead this incredible place we all call home. I’ve never been more excited for Delaware’s future. Thanks to all for your truly humbling support. I represent the absolute best Delaware has to offer, and I will never take that honor and privilege lightly.”
The Third Ward race proved to be the closest of the three Delaware City Council races, with Cory Hoffman edging out George McNab to become the ward’s newest representative. Hoffman received just under 52 percent of the votes, defeating McNab by just 33 total votes.
“Just want to say thanks to everyone who got out and voted and has offered their congratulations. George ran a strong campaign and deserves commendation,” Hoffman said on his Facebook page Wednesday. “In my mind, with the margin as close as it is, the race is not over until any provisional ballots are counted, etc. In any case, I am very, very grateful — most especially to my wife, Megan — in so many ways I couldn’t even begin to enumerate the ways in which I am grateful.”
In the Fourth Ward, Drew Farrell won the day after receiving 756 of the 1,317 total votes cast, good for 57.4 percent, to defeat Sarah JanTausch.
Farrell told The Gazette following the election, “It feels great. I’m really happy to know that many people believed in what I had to say and were willing to support me. I definitely couldn’t have done it without all the people who voted for me, volunteered with the campaign, and were willing to lend a hand.”
He said he is excited to learn the “ins and outs” of how city council works behind the scenes and to get started on making decisions that will make the city of Delaware a better place.
Current Councilman Chris Jones ran unopposed for the First Ward representative and will continue serving for another term.
The Delaware County Board of Elections will count provisional ballots on Nov. 25 and certify the count Nov. 26.
