The intricate tapestry of Portage County’s political landscape has been vividly illuminated by the results of last November’s election, revealing a pronounced divide across the east/west, rural/urban, and Republican/Democratic spectrums, far more stark than in the preceding propositional votes.
Chief among these revelations was the presidential election, where Vice President Kamala Harris garnered significant support from Kent and the Village of Hiram—an enclave where votes rallied in her favor with remarkable fervor. In stark contrast, the county’s eastern townships firmly backed former President Donald Trump, who, in a notable twist, secured a 3.1 percentage point gain compared to his 2020 campaign.
Voter turnout remained robust at 76% of registered voters, paralleling engagement levels from 2020. Yet, pockets of disenchantment were palpable, particularly in Kent’s student-heavy and suburban zones, alongside most sections of Ravenna, Hiram, and Charlestown’s Precinct B, where enthusiasm lagged considerably.
The sparkle of democracy shone brightest in the precincts of Franklin, Aurora, and Sugar Bush Knolls, where turnout eclipsed expectations. Meanwhile, Issue 1—the proposed establishment of a citizens’ gerrymandering committee—faced resounding defeat, both locally and statewide. Support blossomed in Kent and Franklin Township but dwindled sharply beyond, reflecting the presidential voting trends.
Trump’s support soared in the southeastern townships of Palmyra, Atwater, and Deerfield, whereas Harris found her strongest champions within Kent and Franklin Township. Despite marking a recognizable presence in certain precincts of Streetsboro and southeastern Ravenna, Harris’s broader appeal fell flat elsewhere, underscoring an enduring rural-urban schism that resonates throughout the nation.
Across the state lines, support for Senator-elect Bernie Moreno appeared somewhat lukewarm in Portage County, yet he triumphed with a narrow margin, claiming just over half of the votes at 50.1 percent. But the disparities between presidential preferences and votes for local officials became even starker in the race for county sheriff. The contest between Jon Barber and Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski emerged as a nail-biter, with Barber narrowly trailing by a mere 1,130 votes—49.3% to Zuchowski’s 50.7%.
Despite Zuchowski’s vocal endorsements for Trump, a cloud of controversies may have siphoned off potential votes, suggesting that party affiliation alone could not seal a blank check at the polls. A closer examination of this voting behavior reveals that many Trump supporters simply abstained from casting ballots for sheriff—a noticeable trend that sharply contrasts with Barber’s relatively few precincts, where Harris supporters opted out of the sheriff race predominantly in student-centric areas in Kent.
Jennifer Mapes is an associate professor of geography at Kent State.
