(Photo by Michelle Dillon) Republican Teresa Judson, right, talks to supporters, including Washington County Republican Party Chair Joe Derkin, left, after learning the unofficial election results show she beat Democratic incumbent Tracey Wright for the Washington County Recorder position. This means there would be no Democrats holding county-wide offices in the county.

With final, unofficial results in Tuesday night, the last Washington County-wide Democratic officeholder was unseated and a Belpre City Schools renewal levy that failed in the March primary passed.

Incumbent Washington County Recorder Tracey Wright, a Democrat running for reelection for a ninth term in office, lost to Republican challenger Teresa Judson by a margin of 62.85% to 37.15%, or 18,065 votes to 10,680.

Washington County Republican Party Chairman Joe Derkin announced a little after 9 p.m. Tuesday at Republican headquarters in Marietta that Judson’s victory means there are no longer any Democrats holding county-wide office in Washington County.

“It’s a very nice feeling to say there’s no more Democrats in county offices,” Judson said Tuesday evening.

She thanked everyone for their support.

Belpre City Schools sought a renewal of a levy that originally failed by a margin of 63 votes, or a vote of 1,001 to 938, in the March primary. The district was successful Tuesday night, with the levy passing by around 350 votes, 2,336 in favor to 1,987 against, according to the unofficial results.

The purpose of the levy is to provide for the emergency requirements of the school district in the sum of $825,000 and a levy of taxes to be made outside of the ten-mill limitation estimated by the county auditor to average 3.18 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $111 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for a period of 10 years, commencing in 2025, first due in calendar year 2026. Approval of the levy does not add to district residents’ property taxes and it is used to fund day-to-day operation expenses like utility costs, transportation (buses, bus supplies and fuel), textbooks, classroom supplies, curricular supplies, technology and laptops for students and special education needs.

Belpre Superintendent Jeff Greenley was appreciative Tuesday night of the support and passage of the levy.

“We are grateful to the residents of Belpre on both sides of the issue,” he said.

The levy “is the backbone” of the school budget, Greenley said, and it has been in effect since 2000.

With 100% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, state Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta, won a full, four-year term representing Ohio’s 30th Senate District.

According to final, unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, Chavez beat Democratic challenger Ari Faber by a margin of 69.42% to 30.58% or 104,726 votes to 46,143.

Chavez, owner of Reno Oil and Gas LLC and Chavez Well Service, was appointed to the seat in December following the retirement of state Sen. Frank Hoagland. He faced Faber, an outreach director at an Athens nonprofit who has lived as a man for several years and was listed on the ballot under his deadname, Iva Faber, due to state law requiring candidates who have had a former name in the past five years to list it on election petitions.

Chavez, who was at the Washington County Republican headquarters Tuesday night waiting for the election results, said he planned to “represent everyone in the district.”

During the campaign, Chavez said, he talked about the issues, wanted people to know what he stood for and “didn’t go negative at all.”

Chavez said he ran into some issues during his campaign due to voices on the fringes but said politics should be “about a difference of opinions that we work through.”

Chavez said he plans to “work very hard” just like he has done for the last year and is “excited to work on a full term” and help eastern and southeastern Ohio.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Republican Washington County Commissioner Kevin Ritter won the race for the Ohio House of Representatives’ 94th District seat. Ritter received 69.28% or 36,847 votes, compared to Democrat Wenda Sheard’s 30.71% or 16,334 votes and write-in candidate and independent Andrea Neutzling’s .01% or 7 votes.

Derkin announced that The New York Times had declared Ritter the winner of his race.

“I never thought I would be happy to hear an announcement from The New York Times,” Ritter said, eliciting chuckles from the crowd.

Ritter thanked everyone in the room for their support.

Also on Tuesday:

* The Fearing Township replacement levy for fire and emergency services passed with 369 votes (76.88%) for the levy and 111 votes (23.12%) against.

* The additional tax levy for the village of Matamoras for current operating expenses failed with 184 votes (59.25%) against the levy and 126 (40.65%) for.

* The additional tax levy for Grandview Township for fire and EMS passed with 345 votes (52.19%) for and 316 (47.81%) against.

* The additional tax levy for maintaining and operating cemeteries in Wesley Township failed, with 246 votes (60.89%) against and 158 (39.11%) for.

* The additional tax levy for maintaining and operating cemeteries in Salem Township passed with 297 votes (52.11%) for and 273 (47.89%) against.

* The local liquor option in Matamoras and Grandview Township for Par Mar Store 4 at 1300 State Route 7, Matamoras, to sell beer, wine and mixed beverages passed with 170 votes (54.31%) in support and 143 (45.69%) against. The separate question of whether the business can sell alcohol on Sundays had a tie vote, with 156 votes for and 156 against, which will be addressed during the canvass process.