2025 ELECTION ROUNDUP: All 6 local issues and options unofficially approved

It was a clean sweep across the ballot for local issues in the Nov. 4, 2025 general election, which saw two tax levies, plus four issues related to liquor sales, unofficially pass.

Issue 1 for Penn and Union Township voters, which was also considered by voters in parts of Clinton County, is a proposed five-year, 4.3-mill tax levy replacement for the Clinton Highland Joint Fire District. The levy is for “providing fire protection, ambulance, paramedic or other emergency medical services” and is estimated to collect $580,626 annually. It passed by an unofficial margin of 420-227.

Although Highland County voters were unofficially deadlocked at 65-65, the issue passed as Clinton County had 355 votes for the levy and 162 votes against it, unofficially.

Issue 2, considered by Clay Township voters in Highland County as well as voters in parts of Brown County, is a one-mill tax replacement levy “for a continuing period of time” for the Eastern Joint Fire & EMS District. The levy was proposed as a “replacement of a tax … for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, mechanical resuscitators, underwater rescue and recovery equipment, or other fire equipment and appliances, buildings and sites therefore, or sources of water supply and materials therefore, for the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm communications, for the payment of firefighting companies or permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighting, emergency medical service, administrative, or communications personnel to operate the same.” It is estimated to collect $273,271 annually.

This levy was also approved with 420 unofficial votes, as it received 305 votes against the issue, unofficially. The issue did pass in both counties, as Highland County’s unofficial margin was 97-73 and Brown County’s margin was 323-232.

The remaining issues on the ballot were all local liquor options.

Issue 3, affecting the East Main Sunoco in Hillsboro, is for the Sunday sale of “wine, mixed beverages and spirituous liquor.” Voters in Hillsboro’s southeast precinct unofficially voted to pass the issue by a margin of 60-49.

Issue 4, affecting the new Aldi in Hillsboro, is for the Sunday sale of “wine and mixed beverages.” Voters in Hillsboro’s northwest precinct passed this issue, unofficially, by a margin of 136-70.

Voters in Marshall Township passed their issues by the highest margins. Issue 5 is a local option for the sale of beer in Marshall Township “under permits which authorize sale for on-premise consumption only, and under permits which authorize sale for both on-premise and off-premise consumption.” Marshall Township voters unofficially passed the issue with 132 yes votes (75.9%) and 42 no votes.

Similarly, Issue 6 is a local option for the sale of spirituous liquors by the glass in Marshall Township. The township’s voters passed this issue with 125 yes votes (73.96%) and 44 no votes, unofficially.

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