Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones easily won re-election to a third term according to final, unofficial results from the the Butler County Board of Elections. Jones built a huge lead throughout the night over perennial opponent Dale Richter of Trenton.

“What I think is that this is my report card from the voters,” said Jones, 59, of Liberty Twp. “I also get a lot of crossover votes.”

“I have a few more things to do,” he said. Those items include continuing to push the illegal immigration issue, curtailing illegal drugs from Mexico, doing more with less revenues, continuing to share services with other area, state and federal law enforcement agencies and “fighting the bad guys.”

Also winning election and re-election to office were Judge Michael Powell to succeed the late Judge Rachel Hutzel on the 12th District Court of Appeals, Warren County Court Judge Donald Oda II was elected to the Warren County Common Pleas Court bench, and Rep. Steve Chabot was re-elected to the Ohio 1st Congressional District that was re-drawn to include all of Warren County.

Voters approved a renewal levy for Butler County Children Services; a proposal to reallocate how Fairfield spends its income tax revenues; as well as fire and EMS levies in Trenton, New Miami, Seven Mile as well as in St. Clair, Millville and Reily Twps.

Also enjoying a fast start is the renewal of a 2-mill, five-year levy for funding for Butler County Children Services.

The levy generates about $14 million annually, which is about 55 percent of the agency’s overall budget, according to Jerome Kearns, director of county Job and Family Services and acting executive director of children services.

Funding from the levy is essential to the agency because it allows them to use it as a match to qualify for federal and state sources.

For the latest election results, visit journal-news.com