Landslide victories were had in Brown, Scioto, and Thompson townships with the winners earning up to as high as 70% of the total votes cast in the local precincts during the Nov. 5 general election.

At Tuesday’s poles, the voters of Brown Township faced a decision between three trustees candidates and two fiscal officer candidates.

According to the Delaware County Board of Elections, Connie Skinner received 285 (6o%) votes out of the 475 total votes cast in the trustees race, replacing incumbent Steve Cole, who received 156 (32.84%) votes.

The third candidate, Michael Jones, received 34 (7.16%) votes.

“I’m really excited and a little nervous about winning,” Skinner said. “I worked at it. I worked very hard. I hit every road in the township, and somebody on every road got to meet me.”

Skinner added there are a few training sessions scheduled with the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office she must attend before taking office Jan. 1, 2020.

In a previous interview with The Gazette, Skinner said she decided to run because it’s time to give back to her community, and because she is “proud to be living in Brown Township.”

As for being elected as a trustee, Skinner said, “I’m humbled by all the support by all my friends and neighbors.”

Cole said he was looking forward to continuing to work with the other two trustees on the projects they had started, but now he needs to set that aside.

“There were a lot of things I wanted to continue doing, but they were good opponents, and it was a good race,” he said. “I’m pretty confident that (Skinner) will do well in there. She is younger, and I think we need that in there.”

Jones could not be reached for comment.

In the race for Brown Township fiscal officer, incumbent Peggy Link received 277 (61.42%) of the 451 votes cast, while newcomer Heather Barrett received the 174 (38.58%) remaining votes.

“I’m am very honored and excited that the residents of Brown Township have voted to allow me to continue in my role as their fiscal officer,” Link said. “I look forward to a productive four years and to continue to improve and gather feedback on what is working and what could be improved in my role as fiscal officer.”

Link said during her campaign that she believed the most critical issue facing the township was the communication gap between township officials and the residents. She said there needs to be a better way to communicate the important events of the community.

“The township needs to leverage the internet and social media more than we currently do,” she said. “I will continue to push the trustees to publish items on the website as well as continuing to suggest a Facebook page for the township.”

Barrett said she ran for the fiscal officer position because she has a vested interest in the township having grown up there and lived in Brown Township on and off for 30 years. In her defeat, she said this might not be the only time she runs for a political office in the township.

“I would like to thank the people who supported me, and I may run again in the future,” she said. “I would like to congratulate the winner, Peggy Link, on a well-run race.”

In Scioto Township, Trustee Ralph Moseley received 403 (72.09%) of the votes cast with Dick Jones receiving 156 (27.91%) of the 559 total votes cast in the race for township trustee.

“I want to thank the voters of the township for supporting me,” Moseley said. “I hope to continue the progress we’ve made in the last four years.”

Moseley will be serving his second term as a Scioto Township trustee. He said while campaigning, the biggest issue in the township is the infrastructure, which is falling apart due to the sudden rapid growth in development and population.

“I feel the biggest issue in the township is the deteriorating roads and culverts,” he said.

Moseley added the township has been “fortunate in receiving Ohio Public Works Commission grants to rebuild roads, but the rapid growth in population and housing starts to require decisive action in the near future.”

Born and raised in Scioto Township, Jones said he takes great pride in what he does and never assumes anything, and he still believes in taking a person at their word and good, firm handshakes.

“I would like to thank everyone that voted and supported me in the election,” he said. “I’ll continue to be dedicated to Ostrander and Scioto Township.”

In Thompson Township, incumbent Kent Manley received 88 (58.28%) of the 151 total votes cast with his challenger, Steve Lajeunesse, receiving 63 (41.72%) in the race for township trustee.

Manley’s reason for running for re-election was to continue to be part of the community’s positive growth that he has seen as a trustee the past four years.

“My opponent ran a well-run race,” he said. “I would like to thank all of those voters who supported me in my re-election.”