Incumbent Roger Armstrong wins re-election for final term

Democratic incumbent Roger Armstrong appears to have won his re-election bid for Summit County Council Seat A based on preliminary results from general election night.

Armstrong is poised to keep his seat with 8,378 votes, or about 56%, while his Republican challenger Tory Welch received 6,670 votes, or about 44%, according to results released Thursday evening.

Welch, an Army veteran and small business owner from Hoytsville, received strong support from East Side voters. However, that support was not enough to overcome the support Armstrong received from the Park City area.

The incumbent was hesitant to accept victory until the Summit County Clerk’s Office finished counting ballots, but he was pleased with the preliminary results and with the expected high turnout.

Armstrong said one of the best things is seeing citizens become more involved. According to the Summit County Clerk’s Office, 15,815 ballots were cast and turnout was estimated at 53% on Thursday. Clerk Eve Furse expected this could reach 90% once all ballots are counted.

“If you take a step back, it opens the door for a referendum for the people,” he said on Thursday.

Armstrong spent Tuesday evening at home with his wife Beth watching a Netflix show. The couple had dinner and some popcorn before calling it an early evening. They wanted to get some rest before waking up to the results on Wednesday.

Welch also spent election night with his family, not focusing too much on the local results as he expected it would take some time before they were released.

The Republican said he was not surprised by the County Council results, although he wished it was a closer race. Still, he acknowledged his chances of running against a 12-year incumbent Democrat in a blue district. Welch’s campaign focused on breaking single-party control in Summit County and bringing diverse views to the County Council.

“It was always a bit of a gamble,” Welch admitted. “I had hoped to do a little better, but I didn’t expect a miracle.”

Welch spent about $4,639 on his campaign and raised more than $7,000.

Armstrong raised no money and spent only $339.46 on candidate filing fees. He also hasn’t created a campaign website or yard signs for the 2024 election.

The sitting president said his record is well known and he wanted others to be aware of Welch’s platform. Armstrong did appear at community forums and candidate debates to help voters distinguish between himself and Welch.

Armstrong praised Welch for a thoughtful campaign. He encouraged his opponent to consider running for office to stay involved in local politics.

After his four years are up, Armstrong said there is a 0% chance he will run again. He said he does not want to stay too long and believes his services will be sufficient at the end of his new term.

Armstrong said he has been very fortunate to work with some prominent members of the community, including Kim Carson, Claudia McMullin and Dave Ure. He also looks forward to continuing to work with the current and new County Council over the next four years.

“At some point you have to stop,” he said. “At the end of my term of office I will happily go to waste.”