Scioto County voters gave local governments a clean sweep at the ballot box, approving every tax levy on Tuesday’s general election ballot.
From police protection and road repairs to flood defense and everyday village operations, all nine local tax measures received majority support in the unofficial election results.
Some passed comfortably. Others had voters divided almost down the middle.
And in one small village, residents overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that could have meant the end of their municipal government.
Portsmouth Voters Back City Operations
Portsmouth voters approved the city’s current operations tax levy by a margin of more than 1,000 votes.
The unofficial results show 2,605 votes in favor and 1,592 against.
That means approximately 62% of voters supported the measure.
The results give city officials continued voter support for the operations covered by the levy.
Turnout in Portsmouth was 45.76%, with 4,294 of the city’s 9,383 registered voters casting ballots.
New Boston Supports Flood Protection
New Boston residents gave strong support to the village’s flood defense levy.
The measure received 287 yes votes and 136 no votes, passing with nearly 68% support.
Flood protection remains an important concern for the village, and voters gave the measure a comfortable majority.
Police Levies Pass in Three Townships
Voters in Clay, Nile and Washington townships all approved police levies, although the margins varied considerably.
Clay Township voters supported their police levy 705 to 471, giving it nearly 60% approval.
In Nile Township, the police levy passed 456 to 383. That was a much closer contest, with just 73 votes separating the two sides.
Washington Township had an even tighter result.
Its police levy passed 709 to 600, a margin of 109 votes.
The Washington Township measure received approximately 54% support, making it one of the closest levy contests of the election.
Porter Township Backs Road Funding
Porter Township voters delivered one of the strongest endorsements for a local tax measure.
The township’s road levy passed with 2,144 votes in favor and 1,045 against.
That represents approximately 67% support, with the measure receiving more than twice as many yes votes as no votes.
The result gives township officials voter approval for the road funding covered by the measure.
Small Villages Support Local Services
Several smaller communities also approved levies to support local operations.
In South Webster, voters backed the village’s current expenses levy 178 to 89, an exact two-to-one margin.
Otway residents approved both measures on their ballot.
The village’s current expenses levy passed 23 to 10, while its fire levy passed 22 to 10.
Although the vote totals were small, both measures received comfortable majorities.
Nile Township voters also approved a cemetery levy, with 464 votes in favor and 379 against.
That was a margin of just 85 votes.
Rarden Voters Refuse to Give Up Their Village
While voters across the county were deciding whether to support taxes, residents of Rarden faced a very different question.
They were asked whether the village should surrender its corporate powers.
The answer was an overwhelming no.
Of the 51 voters who cast ballots on the issue, 49 voted against surrendering the village’s powers.
Just two voted in favor.
That means approximately 96% of voters rejected the proposal.
Surrendering corporate powers would mean giving up Rarden’s status as an incorporated village, making this one of the most consequential local questions on the ballot.
For now, Rarden voters have made their preference clear: They want their village to remain a village.
Wheelersburg Voters Approve Local Sales Questions
Voters in the Twin Wheelersburg precinct also approved two local-option questions.
The first passed with 199 yes votes and 80 no votes.
The second, concerning Sunday sales, passed 186 to 92.
Both measures received substantial majority support.
The election summary identifies these as local-option questions but does not specify the business or exact sales permissions involved.
A Strong Night for Local Services
The results show broad voter support for local government funding, even as residents face ongoing concerns about taxes and household expenses.
Every local tax levy on the ballot received a majority of yes votes.
Here’s how the measures finished:
| Local tax levy | Yes | No | Result |
| Portsmouth operations | 2,605 | 1,592 | Passed |
| New Boston flood defense | 287 | 136 | Passed |
| Otway current expenses | 23 | 10 | Passed |
| Otway fire | 22 | 10 | Passed |
| South Webster current expenses | 178 | 89 | Passed |
| Clay Township police | 705 | 471 | Passed |
| Nile Township cemetery | 464 | 379 | Passed |
| Nile Township police | 456 | 383 | Passed |
| Porter Township roads | 2,144 | 1,045 | Passed |
| Washington Township police | 709 | 600 | Passed |
For local officials, the results provide voter approval for funding measures covering essential services.
For residents, the votes reflect decisions about how their communities will pay for police protection, road maintenance, flood defense and municipal operations.
All results remain unofficial pending certification by the Scioto County Board of Elections.
