Election Day 2025: On the ground with Licking County voters

Brandon Myers

“It’s important to cast a vote because it takes so little effort,” said Brandon Myers, 43.

He said people worked hard to get us the right to vote, so we “have to honor those who came before us.”

He emphasizes the importance of voting on tax issues and on the judge.

Dave Molnar

“I’m here today not only for village issues but for township issues,” Dave Molnar, in his 70s, told TRP reporters Ella Diehl and Talya Dersu. “People really take voting seriously here.” 

He’s in support of major funding for the village for the upkeep and emphasizes that maintenance is needed.

Terri Frenton

Terri Frenton, 67, from Newark, said her main priority in voting this election was to improve local schools.

“We need people to make schools better,” she told TRP reporters Ella Diehl and Talya Dersu.

Marissa Walter and David Kahn

Marissa Walter, 32, and Ben Kahn, 29, voted at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Granville on Election Day.

Walter said she is concerned about future development and how to protect water sources in Licking County.

“Voting is a civic duty, and I try to vote in every election,” Kahn said. “If I’m going to live in this world, I have to make sure it’s going well.”

Brandon Alcaraz

Brandon Alcaraz, 32, said voting is his “civic duty.”

“If you don’t vote, you shouldn’t complain,” he added.

Donald Sheppard

Donald Sheppard, 47, voted in support of both the county-wide mental health support levy and the proposed police and fire levy in Newark.

“We need better support for our police and fire department. We need better support for our mental health services.”

He also cast a vote for Beth Bline, who Shepard believes is “going to be doing good stuff here,” he told TRP reporter Tyler Thompson.

Margaret Burden

Margaret Burden, 51, arrived at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Granville prepared to vote.

“I had everything I wanted written down before I went in, so I didn’t need to think about it when I got here,” Burden said. “I think it was very easy to find information about the issues online and what people needed to pay attention to.”

Jed Flechtner

Jed Flechtner, 72, said voting was both a duty and a privilege.

“I came here today because I always vote, I’m a good citizen,” he said.

This year, he was particularly interested in voting in support of levies.

“They support services for our community and the betterment of mankind.”

Alex Morrow, Granville Village Council candidate

Alex Morrow is one of five candidates running for Granville Village Council.

“The residents of Granville have shown a lot of interest in the seats for the village council and township trustees, and excitement over them,” Morrow said. “I feel very honored to have the opportunity to serve.”

Don Archer

Don Archer, 78, is a poll inspector at John Clem Elementary School in Newark.

“I verify signatures and make sure they’re in the right election district, and help people vote in the machine and make sure the vote counts,” he told TRP reporter Maddie Luebkert.

“There were a few quirky things,” at John Clem this morning, but so far, “things are going pretty good. We had one where the signature didn’t match, but it wasn’t the voter’s fault. There was another person whose license was expired. Another one where the machine jammed up, and the voter had to do it all over again.”

Danny Moore and Briggs Wilcox

Danny Moore, 73, came out to support the proposed income tax levy for the “police and fire departments.” He brought his 2-year-old grandson, Briggs Wilcox, to vote with him.

Denise Wren and Debbie Gabriel

“We’ve always voted ever since we were 18, and we haven’t missed an election!” said Debbie Gabriel, 68, right.

When asked what issues were most important in the election, Denise Wren, 69, said “all of them!”

Dennis Coon

When asked why he voted, Dennis Coon, 66, said “I do all the time.”

“I own property and I feel like I should vote,” Coon told TRP reporter Maddie Luebkert. “I really didn’t vote a lot before I bought a house but since I bought one I’ve voted every year since.”

Anthony Tritt

Anthony Tritt, 67, worked in road work for 35 years in St. Albans Township, and voted against the proposed village-township merger.

“We don’t need any changes,” he said. “The council has too much control. I prefer the three-person board of trustees. I voted for the trustees, and voted for their levy so they can keep the roads built up.”

Rosemary and Byron Anderson

“I voted because it’s my civic duty” Rosemary Anderson, 74, said. “Never missed a voting day since I was 18.”

“It’s the people’s responsibility,” Byron Anderson, 75, added.

Both Andersons supported the merger between the village of Alexandria and St. Albans Township.

“I voted for the merger,” Rosemary said. “If they’re true to their word, they’ll preserve the rural character [of our community].”

“I think there are a lot of misinformed people about the merger,” Byron said.

Mark Shumaker and Patrick Vensel

Mark Shumaker, left, is the voting location manager at the Alexandria Church of Christ, where St. Albans Township and Village of Alexandria residents will cast their ballots on Election Day.

His job throughout the day is to open the door for people, answer questions about the voting process and cheerfully ask “how’d it go?” to people on their way out the door.

“We have had a very good turnout at the St Albans and Alexandria polling place,” he told the Reporting Project reporter Mia Fischel.

“The mechanics of voting, we’ll help people do. Beyond that, I spend a part of my day ensuring that it is a quality and a good, clean election. I’ve taken some people that have serious questions and taken them step by step and shown them the process.”

He joked that “this is probably the most comfortable voting location in Licking County,” referring to the couches inside the polling area.

Amanda Rose and Mason Sforza

Mason Sforza, 19, is voting in his second-ever election, and he looks forward to voting in the future.

“Every vote counts,” Sforza said. “We are granted the right to use our voices and vote, and we must use our rights and make sure our officials know what we want.”

Amanda Rose, 44, echoed his sentiments.

“I am just doing my civic duty,” she said. “It is important every time, so I vote in every election.” 

Jamie Haidet

“I came out to support Mayor [Mark] Johns in the mayoral race, but more importantly, I never miss a voting day,” said Jamie Haidet, 52. “It is important to set an example for my kids to always participate, which is why I became a supporter of Mayor Johns in the first place. He ran because he recognizes how children are our future. I don’t think he wanted to be a politician; I think he wanted to shape our future.”

Brian Hackett

“I just wanted to do my civic duty,” said Brian Hackett, 34. “It is important to know who your elected officials are, and this is our time to share our voices and have a say in who is in office. It is important to have local officials who share your values.” 

Shawn Gallant

Shawn Gallant, 48, was appointed to Heath City Council in 2024, and is up for reelection this year. He’s running unopposed.

“This is the time when citizens can shape their local landscape,” Geller said after voting early on Tuesday morning. “Voting is about being a citizen of Heath. I came out to support the trax levies and to support Mayor [Mark] Johns in the mayoral race.”

William Dugan

“My father raised me to always vote,” William Dugan, 60, said. “He served in World War II, and he taught my family how important it is as our civic duty. I missed one election in my life, and it is because they registered me in the wrong town; other than that, I vote in every single election. If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain. An old coworker of mine didn’t vote and was upset about the results. I got to show him that if he had voted, the results would have been different; every vote matters, and you can’t complain if you don’t make your voice heard.”