Warren County voters overwhelmingly approved the first-ever senior services levy Tuesday in what one precinct official said could be a record low turnout.

        The 0.96-mill levy passed 60 percent to 40 percent with all of the 148 precencts reporting, according to unofficial results from the board of elections.

        “I think it's not only the right thing to do, but it's a cost-saving measure,” said Susan Faucher, 51, of Deerfield Township. “And I think it's important that we respect our elders.”

COMPLETE COVERAGE

• Parks, mental health levies just squeak by • Yates wins primary for seat in state House • Mariemont's school tax fails • Warren, Butler say no to taxes • Warren County voters back levy for seniors • Boyle wins primary for state treasurer • Maineville voters trounce levies • Norwood among those to OK levies • Turner leads in 3rd District Election Results: Butler    Clermont    Hamilton    Warren

        Warren is the only area county without an elderly services levy. Instead, Warren County Community Services receives general fund money to provide lower-income elderly with in-home help, medical transportation and hot meals.

        The waiting list for services has skyrocketed to nearly 400 people, with an average wait of well over a year.

        “I don't vote for all levies,” said Adrian Smith, 65, of Lebanon. “Sometimes I think it's just too much. But this seems like a good one.”

        The levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $29.40 annually and raise $3.7 million a year for five years. Clients who can afford to pay for services are charged on a sliding scale.

        Despite the presence of the senior services levy and two contested county GOP primaries — commissioner and Common Pleas judge — turnout was abysmal, according to those who were working the polls Tuesday.

        The county received almost 900 absentee ballots — “nothing to sneeze at,” Board of Elections Director Bev Moore said. But by late afternoon she'd downgraded her prediction from 32 percent turnout to 27 percent.

        Even that seemed optimistic at precinct 116 in Deerfield Township, which had had just 37 voters by 6:15 p.m. out of 800 registered there, said Presiding Judge Marlyn Seehafer.

        “It might be a record low,” he said. “It's too bad.”

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Maineville voters trounce levies
Norwood among those to OK levies
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