Chad Burroughs has been declared the official certified winner of the March 19 Republican primary race, narrowly defeating Champaign County Sheriff Matt Melvin, whose term ends December 31.

After a full recount on Monday by the Champaign County Board of Elections, Burroughs defeated Melvin by 3,276 to 3,267 votes. The machine recount exactly matches the numbers released on March 28 after the certification of the election.

Because the margin of victory was within 0.5% on March 28, an automatic recount was mandated by law.

The automatic machine recount was scheduled to occur on Thursday, April 11 but could not be completed due to a tabulation malfunction with the machine. The Champaign County Board of Elections, with the assistance of its vendor of election equipment ClearBallot, completed the recount on Monday.

Also on Monday, the board certified Tim Durham as a write-in candidate for sheriff in November. Durham recently retired as a sergeant from the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Piqua District/Springfield Post after 28 years of service. The filing deadline for all write-in candidates is August 26. With the limitations of being a write-in candidate, Durham’s name will not appear on the ballot. Only the name of Burroughs will be on the ballot as no Democrat or Independent candidates filed to run.

Any candidate who was on the ballot in March is not eligible to run as a write-in.

History of two GOP primary races for sheriff

After serving as a deputy with the sheriff’s office for 16 years, Melvin was elected sheriff in 2012 and was re-elected every four years, including 2020, until this year.

Burroughs ran against Melvin in the 2020 Republican primary, as did David Patrick. Melvin had more votes than either Burroughs or Patrick separately, but the two challengers combined for more votes than Melvin tallied in the 2020 Republican contest.

Both Burroughs and Melvin noted in their candidate surveys published by the Urbana Daily Citizen in February they were born and raised in Champaign County.

Burroughs said his career “began as an undercover narcotics officer, and over the years, I’ve risen through the ranks, holding titles such as Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Major and Colonel. Along with serving in many positions, here and around the world, these roles have given me a deep understanding of the field, making me the ideal candidate for the position of Sheriff. With my strong ties to the community and extensive experience, I am fully committed to serving and protecting Champaign County with an unwavering integrity and dedication.”

Burroughs, a graduate of Graham High School, also said this in his candidate survey: “My commitment to this county runs deep, and I am fully committed to utilizing these strengths and enhancing them for the betterment of our community. By taking advantage of collaboration and leveraging our collective resources, we can create an even safer and more prosperous environment for all residents to thrive and raise their families.

“Champaign County holds a special place in my heart, not just because it’s where I was born and raised, but because of its incredible people and sense of community. Their dedication to making Champaign County a better place is inspiring, and it’s an honor to be part of such a wonderful community. I am grateful for their support and look forward to continuing to serve them with integrity and dedication. Together, we can achieve great things for Champaign County.”