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Energy Aggregation Election Results
< < Back to ?p=20683The issue of energy aggregation had mixed results during Tuesday’s general election. Overall, half of the 20 ballot initiatives in Eastern and Southeast Ohio were approved by voters. Nine were defeated and there was one tie.
The biggest defeat for energy aggregation was in Cambridge. Unofficial results in the city show that electric aggregation was voted down with 55 percent of voters saying no. Meanwhile, Ross County’s Scioto Township provided the biggest triumph for aggregation supporters.
The township, which includes most of Chillicothe, approved both electric and gas aggregation with 58 percent of the vote. Electric aggregation failed in neighboring Huntington Township by only 37 votes.
Two villages in Perry County soundly rejected energy aggregation yesterday, according to unofficial results. In New Lexington, 55 percent of voters said no to electric and 56 percent said no to natural gas aggregation. Crooksville struck down energy aggregation with 64 percent of the vote.
Athens County had extremely close votes on aggregation, with every vote making a difference. The Village of Jacksonville approved aggregation by ten votes (75-65), while Trimble residents said yes to aggregation by eight votes (44-36).The Village of Buchtel tied on aggregation, according to unofficial results, with 81 voters deciding to approve the measure and 81 voting to reject it.
If the tie remains after the Athens County Board of Elections certifies the results later this month, there will be a recount. If the recount also shows 81 votes for and 81 against aggregation, Buchtel will not aggregate.
In Tuscawaras County, the City of Uhrichsville said no to energy aggregation and two townships in the county said yes. Uhrichsville residents refuted gas aggregation by 43 votes (496-453) and electric aggregation by 57 votes (500-443). Sugarcreek Township said yes to electric aggregation with 55 percent of the vote and accepted gas aggregation with 54 percent of the vote. The largest vote by percentage in the entire region was in Franklin Township, which includes the Village of Strasburg. Electric and gas aggregation was approved in the township with 68 percent of the vote for both issues.
Green Township in Scioto County voted against electric aggregation by only three votes (602-599) and approved gas aggregation by 25 votes (603-578).
Finally, Shadyside Village in Belmont County voted for gas aggregation with 63 percent of residents approving the measure.
Energy aggregation is when electric or natural gas customers come together to form one large buyer. The areas that approved aggregation have given their local governments the power to select a supplier for electric or natural gas service and to enroll them into the aggregation program. Residents are allowed to opt-out if they wish.
A Google Map of the results can be found by following this link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zgH3DCbfU-XE.kM6U0XuxRQJs