Vinton County voters back Ward, Waugh in unofficial primary results

C. Scott Ward emerged as the strongest name on Vinton County’s local ballot, taking the Republican nomination for county commissioner with 634 votes and leaving Danny Wiseman far behind at 316. Jeremiah Jones finished with 163, and Phyllis Hollingshead Henry drew 104, giving Ward a clear first-place finish that positions him as the GOP’s standard-bearer in a county where a few hundred votes can shape control of local government.

Steven Hammond also advanced with 296 complementary votes as the lone Democrat in the commissioner race, setting up the general election contest for one of the county’s most consequential offices. The commissioner seat carries direct influence over taxes, roads, services, and day-to-day county decisions, and the primary results showed Ward entering the fall with the largest local mandate of the night.

The county auditor race produced an even cleaner outcome. Republican incumbent Cindy Ann Waugh collected 975 complementary votes with no opponent, signaling continued continuity in an office that helps steer the county’s financial recordkeeping and fiscal oversight. Jeffrey Griffith also ran unopposed for probate-juvenile judge, another race that pointed to stability in county court leadership as current judge N. Robert Grillo moves toward retirement after his term ends on Feb. 8, 2027.

Voters also backed the county’s existing service structure. The OSU Extension renewal levy, the Developmental Disabilities renewal levy, the Senior Citizens renewal levy, and Eagle Township’s fire levy all passed, preserving funding streams tied to youth programming, disability services, senior support, and township fire protection. In a county where the latest Census estimate put the population at 12,645 and about 20.0% of residents were 65 or older, those levy outcomes carried real weight for households that depend on local services.

The unofficial results only covered Vinton County returns and left broader district and statewide contests to be decided elsewhere, but they still drew a clear local map. Republicans now head toward the general election with Ward at the top of the commissioner ticket and Waugh already secure in the auditor race, while Hammond becomes the Democratic face in the county’s marquee contest. For Vinton County voters, the primary pointed to a fall ballot shaped less by open questions than by whether the county keeps backing the same governing direction it chose on election night.