Whitehall residents on June 23 voted to keep the city’s mayor and two City Council members, capping a months-long saga that divided residents of the eastern Columbus suburb.
Around 50% of voters voted to keep Mayor Michael Bivens and at-large Council members Amy Harcar and Lori Elmore, according to unofficial results from the Franklin County Board of Elections. Bivens was able to secure a little over 52% of “yes” votes needed to retain his seat, while Harcar and Elmore secured roughly 50% each.
With the failure of the recall, the organizers cannot bring forward another recall attempt for one year, according to the Whitehall City Charter. By that point, the trio will be up for reelection. The meeting to certify the final election results will take place June 29, according to Antone White, director of the county Board of Elections.
Although the results still need to be certified, the election brings finality to a unique chapter in Whitehall’s history. While a council member had been recalled in a special election in 2009, it was the first time in the city’s history that a sitting mayor was the target of a recall attempt, according to Bivens.
The recall, which was announced Jan. 6 by Whitehall for All – a group of local residents – has drawn backlash from some members of the community and even faced a legal challenge in the Ohio Supreme Court. Judges initially ruled the group had not collected enough signatures to move forward. The group later gathered the required number, allowing the recall effort to proceed.
Opponents of the recall, including members of the Franklin County Democratic Party, claimed that the recall was racially motivated, pointing to what they say are racist and xenophobic comments on the Whitehall 411 – Eyes on Government Facebook page by its users. The Facebook page is also associated with Whitehall for All.
Bivens is Whitehall’s first Black mayor, and Elmore is the first African American to serve on the City Council. Harcar, who is white, works with immigrants and refugees at Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services. Supporters of the recall have accused Harcar of prioritizing “illegal immigrants” over American citizens in Whitehall.
Whitehall for All has repeatedly accused the trio of corruption, financial mismanagement, and of being controlled by Columbus politicos. Neither the group nor the organizers of the recall – Holly Stein and Patricia Balser – have provided evidence to support their claims.
Shaquille Alexander, the city auditor, and Trevel Balser, the city treasurer and Patricia Balser’s husband, have both stated during city council meetings that the city’s finances are the best they’ve been in years.
Recall supporters of have also aimed at the Department of Neighborhoods, a nascent initiative by the mayor that he says will help alleviate poverty and access to resources for Whitehall residents. Supporters of the recall, as well as some city council members, have called it redundant and a waste of money. The department represents 0.3% of the city’s 2026 budget.
This is a breaking news story. Check back at Dispatch.com for more updates.
Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Whitehall mayor, 2 council members survive recall attempt by narrow margin
Reporting by Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
