Off-year elections generally focus on local races " school boards, city councils, township trustees. But this year, big issues drove much of the discussion and much of the voting.
Voters amended the state constitution to set up four casinos in Ohio --including one in Cleveland. They created a state livestock board.
They decided to completely overhaul Cuyahoga County government, rather than study whether it should be changed, made it harder to recall Akron's mayor and told the Stark County commissioner to look somewhere other than the sales tax to find more money.
Some of the results were expected. Incumbent Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson won a second term by a nearly 3-1 margin over challenger Bill Patmon.
And some portend future political battles. It looks like both Cleveland council members whose district boundaries were redrawn will hold new seats -- Zak Reed won Ward 2 and Brian Cummins won Ward 14. Their votes are expected to play big when council decides if Martin Sweeney should remain president.
