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MIDDLETOWN — It wasn't even close.

Any remaining doubt about whether members of AK Steel Corp.'s local union wanted to return to Middletown Works was erased by the nearly 5-to-1 majority in favor of ending the yearlong lockout.

Four words were all that mattered Wednesday.

"We've got a deal."

That phrase — uttered by local steelworker spokesman Jim Tyler following five hours of ratification ballot counting — was one everyone wanted to hear.

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 1943 overwhelmingly approved a 54-month deal with AK Steel by a vote of 1,275 to 226. Forty-four votes were excluded because they were deemed void or challenged by vote counters.

The contract, which goes into effect today and runs through Sept. 15, 2011, will put all eligible union members back inside Middletown Works within 90 days.

When Brian Daley, president of Local Lodge 1943, announced at a gathering of union members at the Machinists' Crawford Street headquarters that the lockout was over, the news was met with rousing applause and cheers. Some in the crowd shouted, "Way to go, Brian!"

Mark Sanders, of Hamilton, called his wife, Jennifer, on his cell phone as soon as he got the news.

"It's over baby! We're going back to work," Sanders said. "I'm just so happy it's over. We've been waiting for this. We are ready to go back to work. It's been a long year."

Holly McGee, whose husband, Randy, has worked for AK Steel for eight years, said she knew the contract would be approved.

"I'm excited to get a paycheck again," McGee said as she held her baby in her arms.

While others were just as optimistic heading into Wednesday's vote count, the results surprised them.

"I expected a high turnout, but I didn't think that it would be that big of a landslide," said Brad Schnieder, a seven-year employee of AK Steel and Wednesday's ballot counting judge. "We started opening up the envelopes, and it was 'accept, accept, accept.' We sort of knew how it was going to go."

Daley thanked local residents and businesses for their support. He said union members would remember those businesses that supported them during the past year.

Daley also praised political leaders such as Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones, Middletown Mayor David Schiavone, Butler County Commissioner Michael Fox, Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown for their help in ending the lockout.

Strickland and Brown, who were both vocal opponents of the lockout, sent representatives Wednesday to witness the ratification vote count, which was held at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service's Cincinnati office.

Schiavone said he will sleep easier knowing the lockout is over.

"I think we all will in this community," Schiavone said. "It's been a tough year for everyone. (Wednesday) we got good news."

The lockout of 2,505 members of the then-Armco Employees Independent Federation began March 1, 2006. The Machinists Local Lodge 1943 now stands at 1,759 members after retirements, resignations and deaths during the past 13 months.

Since the lockout began, AK Steel has operated Middletown Works with between 1,800 and 1,900 temporary replacement and salaried employees.

As the word traveled throughout Middletown, impending clouds seemed to slow their roll into town. Rain that had begun to trickle on winter-yellowed grass stopped and the sun cast warm rays on the patted backs and embraced hands that had gathered along Crawford Street.

Union members, some of whom lost their homes, cars and much more as a result of the labor dispute, said they were just ready to pick up the pieces of their lives and get back to work.

"Its been a long year," said Jim Smith, the Machinists' lead negotiator. "I think we need to heal some wounds and get back to work."

Staff Writer Meagan Engle contributed to this report.