I don't have a big primary election in my state tonight (Detroit's was awhile ago) but I have family in Toledo Ohio and they are having their city elections tonight. The Mayor's race and the city council are up for grabs. The results (which I'll update for awhile anyways) and a run-down on the candidates are below the fold.
Just a brief rundown on the candidates. There are three Democrats (Finkbeiner, Ford, and Wilkowski) and one Republican (Ludeman) running for mayor with three indepedents (Covey, Gozdowski, and Okonski) 2 of which are odd-balls (Covey - who prophecied that Toledo would be taken out like New Orleans if they didn't vote for her, and Gozdowski who put on a fake nose&glasses and sang "I got to be me" during a debate).
The candidates: Finkbeiner, the former Mayor (and an ex-Republican), is considered something of a hack and had some ethical issues from his tenure (as well as anger management issues, like roughing up an area resteraunteur while mayor). Ford is the incumbent who everyone is ripping for the areas decline. Wilkowski is a solid Democrat who is running, at least partly, because he doesn't think Ford can beat Finbeiner.
Up until today polls had shown Finkbeiner as running away with the whole thing (something like 48% with the rest scattered among the other three). But it seems from the early results that he is underperforming. The results can be found at http://apps.co.lucas.oh.us/electionsept05/Default.aspx . The results as of 10:19 p.m. est:
City of Toledo - Mayor (2 to be elected) Add My Results
Don Gozdowski 64 0.21%
Carty Finkbeiner 10661 34.6%
Martin Okonski 44 0.14%
Jack Ford 8510 27.62%
Keith Wilkowski 7781 25.25%
Opal Covey 82 0.27%
Rob Ludeman 3671 11.91%
City of Toledo - Council At Large (12 to be elected) Add My Results
Mitch Balonek 3657 2.83%
Betty Shultz 12850 9.95%
Phil Copeland 14056 10.89%
Bob Vasquez 9174 7.11%
Frank Szollosi 11734 9.09%
Ernie Berry 4132 3.2%
Thomas Meinecke 2472 1.92%
Karen Shanahan 9091 7.04%
Robert L. Tilton 1922 1.49%
Karyn M. Hancock 9324 7.22%
Dave Schulz 7227 5.6%
George Sarantou 10954 8.49%
Bob McCloskey 14650 11.35%
Jason M. Schreiner 3304 2.56%
Terry Shankland 4959 3.84%
Mark Sobczak 9575 7.42%
Note on the council races: Sarantou, Schultz, and Schulz are the Republicans, Berry is an Independent, and Balonek has been endorsed by the Green party. Everyone else is a Democrat with the incumbents running being Betty Schultz, Sarantou, Copeland, Hancock, and Szollosi (Szollosi has his own blog on Toledo/Ohio politics). McCloskey is a district councilman running for the at-large seat.
Updated as of 11:39 p.m. est
City of Toledo - Mayor (2 to be elected) Add My Results
Don Gozdowski 71 0.21%
Carty Finkbeiner 11701 34.48%
Martin Okonski 49 0.14%
Jack Ford 9228 27.19%
Keith Wilkowski 8593 25.32%
Opal Covey 83 0.24%
Rob Ludeman 4209 12.4%
City of Toledo - Council At Large (12 to be elected) Add My Results
Mitch Balonek 3966 2.79%
Betty Shultz 14235 10.01%
Phil Copeland 15299 10.75%
Bob Vasquez 10125 7.12%
Frank Szollosi 12930 9.09%
Ernie Berry 4500 3.16%
Thomas Meinecke 2741 1.93%
Karen Shanahan 10007 7.03%
Robert L. Tilton 2139 1.5%
Karyn M. Hancock 10191 7.16%
Dave Schulz 8075 5.68%
George Sarantou 12236 8.6%
Bob McCloskey 16138 11.34%
Jason M. Schreiner 3639 2.56%
Terry Shankland 5419 3.81%
Mark Sobczak 10632 7.47%
From what it looks like it appears that Ludeman and Wilkowski are gaining *very* slightly but I'm not sure that it will be enough. It also appears that the At-Large City Council run-off will be the 5 incumbents, Toledo political institution "Fighting" Bob McCloskey, Mark Sobczak, Republican Dave Schulz, non-profit group founder Bob Vasquez, Karen Shananhan, frequent candidate Terry Shankland (on every city ballot since 1993), and Independent Ernie Berry.