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Cliffhanger Ends: Kerry Concedes Election to Bush
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Mahoning County delivered its traditional majority for the Democratic presidential nominee. So did Trumbull County -- and Cuyahoga County, which came close to producing the margin Democrats needed to offset downstate and rural Republicans. But in the end, George W. Bush's re-election was clinched at 11:15 a.m. when Sen. John Kerry called the president to congratulate him on his victory.But until then, the election remained somewhat in doubt because of the 175,000 provisional ballots that had to be certified and counted in Ohio.At 2:30 a.m., with 95% of Ohio's votes counted, Bush led Kerry by 155,076 votes -- a margin of 51.25% to 48.26%, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office. But that total did not include more than 35,000 votes for Kerry included in Cuyahoga County's tally but not factored into the state's preliminary results.At 2:35 a.m., U.S. Sen. John Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, addressed supporters in Boston and promised that every vote would be counted. "It's been a long fight," he said, "we can wait one more night. We made a promise that every vote will count and every vote will be counted...We are keeping our word. We will fight for every vote. You deserve no less."According to CBS News, which quoted sources in the Kerry campaign, 75% to 85% of Ohio's provisional ballots were cast in black wards in Cincinnati and Cleveland -- and those ballots would overwhelmingly be counted in the Democrats' favor.Ohio law mandates that provisional ballots not be counted for at least one week, enabling elections officials to verify voter eligibility.Throughout the early morning hours, Bush campaign was confident of victory and told reporters it was nearly impossible, mathematically, for Kerry to win enough provisional ballots in Ohio to overcome the president's lead.In Mahoning County, Sen. John Kerry received 62.5% of the vote, in Trumbull County 61.6% and in Cuyahoga County 66%. There were 2,717 provisional ballots cast in Mahoning County, a number that included military overseas ballots, said Mark Munroe, chairman of the county elections board.Turnout appeared to be extremely high in Mahoning County all day Tuesday but in the end, it was just 67.5%, below the 70% estimate offered by elections officials. In Trumbull County, turnout was 76.2%In Mahoning County, the half-percent permanent sales tax was narrowly defeated -- a disappointment to business and labor leaders that argued the tax was necessary to stabilize county finances.No incumbents were defeated in Mahoning County but in Trumbull County, state Rep. Dan Sferra (D-64th) was unseated by Republican Randy Law by a margin of 54% to 46%.Here are election results for Mahoning County:PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTBUSH/CHENEY (REP)........47,968 36.74KERRY/EDWARDS (DEM) .......81,500 62.43 UNITED STATES SENATORERIC D. FINGERHUT (DEM)......53,128 46.58%GEORGE V. VOINOVICH (REP) .....60,889 53.38%REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS -- 17TH DISTFRANK V. CUSIMANO (REP)...... 9,540 16.23%TIM RYAN (DEM).........49,243 83.77%REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS -- 6TH DIST.TED STRICKLAND (DEM).......39,571 99.24%STATE REPRESENTATIVE -- 59TH DISTKENNETH A. CARANO, SR. (DEM) ....36,754 61.81%KATHY MILLER (REP).......22,711 38.19%STATE REPRESENTATIVE -- 60TH DISTNICOLAS KELLER (REP)....... 6,785 19.00%SYLVESTER PATTON (DEM) ......28,923 81.00%STATE REPRESENTATIVE -- 61ST DISTJOHN A. BOCCIERI (DEM) ...... 9,820 66.54%RANDY POPE (REP) ........ 4,939 33.46%COUNTY COMMISSIONER -- 1/2/05SAMUEL MOFFIE (REP) .......34,003 31.36%ANTHONY T. TRAFICANTI (DEM)....74,421 68.64%COUNTY COMMISSIONER -- 1/3/05JOHN A. McNALLY (DEM)......77,423 72.56%PATRICK R. STRANGE (REP).....29,280 27.44%PROSECUTING ATTORNEYPAUL GAINS (DEM) ........85,486100.00%CLERK OF COURTSANDRA L. HOLOWATUK (REP) .....26,400 24.32%ANTHONY VIVO (DEM).......82,159 75.68%SHERIFFRANDALL A. WELLINGTON (DEM)....76,810100.00%COUNTY RECORDERRONALD V. GERBERRY (DEM).....77,320 72.93%RUSSELL W. GILLAM, III (REP) ....28,694 27.07%COUNTY TREASURERJOHN B. REARDON (DEM)......88,092100.00%COUNTY ENGINEERRICHARD A. MARSICO (DEM).....85,446100.00%CORONERDAVID M. KENNEDY (DEM) ......88,255100.00%JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS -- 7TH DIST.GENE DONOFRIO .........80,910100.00%JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS -- 1/1/05JAMES C. EVANS.........79,739100.00%JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEASELIZABETH A. KOBLY.......47,517 46.19%MAUREEN A. SWEENEY.......55,367 53.81%JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS -- JUVENILE DIV.THERESA DELLICK........59,869 56.13%WADE W. SMITH, JR........46,789 43.87%JUDGE OF THE COUNTY COURT -- 1/1/05DAVID A. D'APOLITO.......34,670 60.37%ISSUE 2 - 1/2 PCT. SALES TAXYES............ 62,402 49.33%NO............. 64,091 50.67%Complete election returns for Trumbull County:PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENTREP -- BUSH/CHENEY....... 40,220 37.91%DEM -- KERRY/EDWARDS ...... 65,321 61.57%UNITED STATES SENATORDEM -- ERIC D. FINGERHUT..... 48,913 47.72%REP -- GEORGE V. VOINOVICH .... 53,583 52.28%REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS 14TH DISTRICTDEM -- CAPRI S. CAFARO ...... 1,798 39.33%REP -- STEVEN C. LATOURETTE.... 2,774 60.67%REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS 17TH DISTRICTREP -- FRANK V. CUSIMANO..... 20,239 20.70%DEM -- TIM RYAN........ 77,550 79.30%STATE SENATOR 32ND DISTRICTDEM -- MARC DANN ........ 72,201 72.91%REP -- GARY L. PASQUALONE ..... 26,827 27.09%STATE REPRESENTATIVE 64TH DISTRICTREP -- RANDY LAW ........ 26,409 54.28%DEM -- DANIEL J. SFERRA ..... 22,247 45.72STATE REPRESENTATIVE 65TH DISTRICTDEM -- SANDRA STABILE HARWOOD ...35,223 70.60%REP -- DON JOHNSON.......14,668 29.40%COUNTY COMMISSIONER (1/2/05)REP -- MICHAEL COLELLO ...... 29,661 30.98% DEM -- PAUL E. HELTZEL ...... 66,069 69.02%COURT OF APPEALS -- 11TH DISTRICT COLLEEN MARY O'TOOLE...... 38,970 49.19%MARY JANE TRAPP ........ 40,261 50.81%COUNTY COMMISSIONER (1/3/05)REP -- PHILIP ORESTE DeCAPITO ...27,837 28.78% DEM -- DANIEL E. POLIVKA.....68,878 71.22% COURT OF COMMON PLEASW. WYATT McKAY........77,099100.00%PROSECUTING ATTORNEYDEM -- DENNIS WATKINS......80,688100.00% JUDGE OF COUNTY COURT -- EASTERN DISTRICTTHOMAS A. CAMPBELL .......14,484100.00%CLERK OF COURT OF COMMON PLEASDEM -- KAREN INFANTE ALLEN ....68,972 71.46%REP -- DAVID T. SIMON......27,546 28.54% SHERIFFDEM -- THOMAS L. ALTIERE.....79,743100.00 COUNTY RECORDERDEM -- DIANA MARCHESE......79,306100.00COUNTY TREASURERDEM -- CHRIST MICHELAKIS..... 71,615 73.74% REP -- NORBERT J. RONYAK, JR. ... 25,499 26.26% COUNTY ENGINEERDEM -- JOHN D. LATELL...... 78,763100.00%CORONER DEM -- TED SOBOSLAY ....... 78,892100.00%"