Republican candidates, 2 incumbents sweep key Butler seats

Voters pass county-wide mental health, addiction recovery levy

While a blue wave was washing over many statewide elections across the country and claiming the majority of the U.S. Senate and House for the Democratic Party, three key seats in Butler County were filled by Republican candidates, including two incumbents, in unofficial results.

In statewide unofficial election results posted to the secretary of state website, Amy Acton and David Pepper won the governor and lieutenant governor seats, respectively, kicking off the first Democratic administration in Ohio since 2006, before the first Barack Obama presidential term. Acton is also the first woman to be elected governor in Ohio history.

Across Butler County, nearly 29% of voters, more than 42,500, were registered Republicans, while just over 13% were registered Democrats, with the majority remaining unaffiliated, according to data from the Butler County Board of Elections.

County data overall shows more people registering to vote, casting their ballots, showing up at the polls and voting earlier.

Voter turnout in Butler County was nearly 60%, which is higher than the most recent midterm election in November 2022, in which around 51% of voters turned out. Including absentee voters, there were 148,666 ballots cast in unofficial results, compared to 130,048 in 2022.

Consistently across Oxford’s city and township precincts, more voters showed up on Election Day. Overall in Butler County, nearly 61% voted at the polls on Election Day.

Since the May 5 primary election, nearly 3,000 more voters have registered in Butler County.

Additionally, in 2022, 22,496 of voters cast their ballots early. Butler County Board of Elections Deputy Director Eric Corbin pointed out 91% more people voted early and in-person in this year’s election (43,075).

At the same time, Corbin said mail-in ballots decreased by around 28%.

Corbin said of more Butler voters showing up in person this election, “I certainly think there’s a social aspect to it where people like to come, and they like to have the experience and get the sticker and sometimes drop by the selfie station.”

“I think it’s convenient for folks, and I think we made it easy for them this year, too, with our short lines,” Corbin said.

He said of the increased turnout overall, “When we’re trying to predict that turnout and see what it’s going to be, we look at what’s on the ballot.”

“When we … look at the ballot this year, there was much less incumbency at the state level, so I think that’s definitely one of the issues that drives voters out,” Corbin said, adding there were also several local issues that appeared on Butler voters’ ballots this year. “I would think it’s those top-of-the-ticket races that probably drove that turnout the most.” 

Corbin said the board will certify the election results on Nov. 24. Those results will be publicly available at elections.bcohio.gov. 

Ohio House District 47 seat

Republican incumbent Diane Mullins was re-elected as state representative for the 47th Ohio House District, which encompasses the cities of Hamilton and Oxford, as well as Hanover, Oxford, Reily and Fairfield townships, for a two-year term ending in 2028. 

Mullins was first sworn into office in January 2025 and has served as the vice chair of the House Community Revitalization Committee and as a member of the Medicaid, Agriculture and Public Safety committees. 

Mullins won with nearly 53% of the vote, leading by 3,288 ballots, in unofficial results. 

Joseph Lagana, caucus aide, responded to the Oxford Free Press with an emailed statement from Mullins: “I want to thank all the constituents of District 47 who voted for me. I’m truly humbled and will (represent) you to the best of my ability. I am honored and thankful. Blessings to you all!” 

Democratic candidate Jordan Haire, who came in second with just over 44% of the vote in one of the closer races in the county, told the Oxford Free Press in an email, “I want to say thank you to all of those of my neighbors who donated, volunteered, and supported my campaign. And a big thank you to my husband and daughter for coming along with me.” 

“This campaign made historic gains for the Butler County Democratic Party, and it was the most amazing year of my life,” Haire said in the email. “Getting to know such caring people in the 47th reminded me of how much good there is in this world, and now my own village is even larger. My entire goal of this campaign was to see how much impact I could make bridging the divide between political parties, and I have plenty of evidence I did just that.”

Haire said she will return to her duties as a mental health counselor, “for those that will continue to be hurt by the broken systems in Columbus. This election cycle has been incredibly emotional for anyone that had dealt with childhood abuse.”

Butler County Commissioner

Republican candidate Michael Ryan, former city councilor and vice mayor of Hamilton, won the race for the Butler County Commission seat soon to be vacated by Commissioner Cindy Carpenter, who was first elected in 2010. When Ryan begins his term in January 2027, he will be the first new member of the commission in 15 years and will serve for four years unless re-elected.

Following a landslide victory with over 57% of the vote, leading with 20,757 ballots in unofficial results, Ryan will join Donald L. Dixon and T.C. Rogers in serving the county.

“I just want to thank the voters of Butler County for giving me this opportunity,” Ryan told the Oxford Free Press on Nov. 4. “I am so grateful that I have earned their trust to work for them, to serve them and their families in our community, and I cannot wait to get started to work on their behalf and do so many great things for the county.”

Ryan said his focus will be on affordability for Butler County residents, adding he favors property tax rollbacks. He said he’s also focused on economic development to grow the tax base through job creation and capital investment.

He pointed to expanding the airports in Butler County, which include those in Hamilton, Middletown and Oxford.

“I’m glad the commissioners have committed the funds to do that. I’m looking forward to enhancing that initiative,” Ryan said. “This includes going after logistical companies, attracting advanced air mobility, especially supporting some of the aerospace startups. … It’s a growing industry, and it’s critical that Butler County positions itself to benefit from this growing aviation industry located right here in Southwest Ohio.”

Additionally, Ryan said he’s looking forward to meeting with local officials to assist them with their own issues. He said residents can expect “transparency” and “relationship-building” from him as a commissioner.

“I work for all people, and I am very big on being available and being transparent and addressing issues and trying to solve problems,” Ryan said.

Butler County Auditor

Republican incumbent Nancy Nix won the county auditor race in another landslide victory, with nearly 59% of the vote and leading by 26,022 ballots in unofficial results.

Nix previously served as Butler County Treasurer for 16 years and has served as auditor since 2023 when she was appointed, and she was elected during the November 2024 general election to a two-year term. Nix will serve as auditor for another four years unless re-elected.

“I’m very grateful for the voters of Butler County for entrusting me with the auditor’s office for another four years,” Nix said. “We work hard in the auditor’s office to provide transparency and honesty.”

Nix said she feels like her office has been the “fiscal hawk” of Butler County, and she prioritizes technology, including improving the geographic information system (GIS) service for the county. Additionally, her office deals with property tax calculations, assessments, licensing and weights and measures, and she serves as the chief fiscal officer.

“Just staying ahead of the curve with all the changes that happen with technology and just evolving (to meet) customer needs, that’s sort of our bailiwick,” Nix said, adding she’s looking forward to working alongside Ryan as he becomes a county commissioner. “We want to be more proactive in GIS and human resources. … It’s going to be great to have a new commissioner to work with among all of these technology needs.” 

Nix said residents can expect “outstanding” and “personable” service, while her office works to address technology and reporting needs. 

She said she also tries to ensure property taxes are as low as possible. Although tax legislation is determined by the state and levies are decided locally, Nix said, “Any time we can prevent property tax increases, we will continue doing that.”

Mental health and addiction recovery levy

A levy supporting more than 40% of the budget for the Butler County Mental Health Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board, according to Executive Director Scott Rasmus, passed with over 60% of the vote, in unofficial results.

The 10-year, 1-mill renewal levy is expected to generate nearly $8.5 million per year of the board’s $21 million annual budget, costing property owners roughly $20 per $100,000 of assessed value annually.

A separate, half-mill levy was approved by voters in 2024 that generates around $4.2 million annually, and the board receives federal, state and local funding. The levy passed on Nov. 3 will renew a levy first passed in 2006.

“I just want to say in general that we are extremely happy and very grateful to the voters and the community for their support with this, knowing that this means that we can continue the work of the MHARS Board moving forward in Butler County,” Rasmus said. 

Without the levy, Rasmus said MHARS would have needed to scale back its intervention programming to address the senior population and look at its veteran programming, and it would otherwise restrict its ability to continue ongoing programs. He said if the levy had not passed, it would have also resulted in cutting staff.

Rasmus said the funding is essential to supporting mental health, addiction and suicide prevention services for key populations, including veterans, seniors and children, as well as those at risk of overdose. He cited reduced overdose deaths in Butler County over recent years as evidence of successful programming.

Rasmus said one of the key tasks he’s tried to accomplish using the board’s funding is addressing senior depression rates. A program in Butler County called Uplift, in partnership with several other organizations, has been serving older adults in the county for nearly 20 years, even eliminating costs to seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rasmus said the program has served between 200-300 seniors within the last couple of years, and he intends to increase that number and expand to more seniors impacted by dementia.

“The good thing with the passage of this levy is that we can continue to further address that population,” Rasmus said, adding MHARS has also been supporting and working with the Butler County Veterans Service Commission and the Butler County Health District to implement a program that researches and supports families of veterans who have been impacted by suicide.

Additionally, Rasmus said his staff has been working with MetroParks of Butler County to create and install suicide prevention signs in its parks with numbers for the Butler County Veterans Service Commission and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

“We are already finding that it’s saving lives,” Rasmus said, adding nearly 100 signs have been installed around the county, including in the more isolated areas of public parks.

MHARS has also implemented a program at the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center to address drug education, mental health issues and crisis intervention that has been “successful,” Rasmus said.