Razor-thin results spell recount for Franklin County Common Pleas race
A Franklin County Common Pleas court election will head to recount after one of the few remaining Republicans on the court emerged in official results Tuesday with a slim lead.
Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Holbrook, a longtime Republican incumbent, has a .08% lead over his Democratic challenger, Assistant Columbus City Attorney Zach Gwin, according to Franklin County Board of Elections official results.
Because of the narrow margin, the Franklin County Board of Elections will conduct an automatic recount beginning Dec. 9.
The election came down to a difference of 281 votes in a race with over 360,000 ballots cast, according to official results.
On election night, Holbrook emerged with a slim lead over Gwin, according to unofficial results published on election night. Before provisional and absentee ballots were counted, Holbrook led by a margin of around 2,300 votes.
Look again: Seventh Son Brewing billboards look a lot like Holbrook election ads
Holbrook, one of the longest-serving judges on the county bench, will be one of the few remaining Republicans if the recount is certified in his favor. He found himself somewhat at the center of attention earlier this year when he oversaw the high-profile, seven-week murder trial of former Dr. William Husel, who was found not guilty on all 14 counts of murder in connection with the death of patients in his care.
This is the last term Holbrook can run for before he ages out, since Ohio law says candidates cannot be over 70 when they’re sworn in.
Beyond Holbrook’s race, Democrats won five other contested races for seats on the bench, expanding their majority to 15 out of the 17 judge seats in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
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