Board of Elections rejects candidate petitions filed by 7 incumbents - what happened
(NOTE: This version of the story corrects an error made in a previous version. The candidates whose petitions were rejected may not file as write-in candidates to run in the Nov. 7 general election.)
The Marion County Board of Elections rejected candidate petitions filed by seven officeholders seeking reelection in the Nov. 7 general election.
The board noted each of the petitions had a "fatal error" that violated Ohio election directives, resulting in the board voting not to certify them.
The board rejected petitions filed by: Grand Prairie Township Fiscal Officer Steven M. Bollinger, Marion City Schools Board of Education member Kelly Mackay, Morral Village Mayor Deborah A. Thomas, Morral Village Councilman Ronald E. Spicer, Prospect Village Councilman Phillip L. Reeb Jr., Prospect Township Trustee Gregg A. Wilson, and Salt Rock Township Trustee Michael C. Richmond.
Incomplete circulator statements disqualify three
Board of Elections Director Cindy Price said Bollinger, Thomas, Spicer and Wilson each submitted incomplete circulator statements to the board of elections. She said there were various issues with each of the circulator statements that caused them to be disqualified, according to directives from Ohio Secretary of State's office.
Bollinger told the Star Monday evening he planned to file a petition to run as a write-in candidate.
"I am not sure why I was not certified," Bollinger said. "I have been doing this job for 24 years and this is the first time this has happened. I enjoy working in the township and will try and become a write-in candidate. I just pray I can get enough votes to keep the job."
Mackay is three signatures short - seeks to 'cure' petition
Mackay submitted a four-part petition that failed to include the signature count of the circulator in the fourth part, which is a violation, Price said. Because the board voted to reject that fourth part due to the error, it left Mackay three signatures short of the 75 valid signatures needed.
Mackay told the Star she plans to ask the board of elections "if anything can be done to 'cure' the petition" in order to make it valid.
"I’m just devastated about it," Mackay said. "I love MCS and I’m proud of the work I’ve done the last three and a half years."
Timing of candidate's signature at issue for Reeb
Price said Reeb's petition of candidacy was not signed when he submitted it to the board of elections office. She noted that two board of elections employees witnessed him sign it when he was at the office and they signed affidavits testifying to that fact. Anderson said it was a violation of a directive from the Ohio Secretary of State which states that the "Declaration or Statement of Candidacy portion of each petition paper must be completely filled out and signed by the candidate(s) before being circulated."
Richmond submitted a three-part petition that was rejected because the circulator statement included with each part was left blank, Price said. Richmond could not attend Monday's meeting because he was attending his child's sporting event, but planned to address the issue with the board of elections on Tuesday and determine what option to pursue, he told the Star.
The Star was unable to make contact with Thomas, Wilson, Spicer, and Reeb on Monday evening after the certification meeting.
To learn more about elections in Marion County, go to the Board of Elections website www.boe.ohio.gov/marion. For information about statewide elections, go to the Ohio Secretary of State's website VoteOhio.gov.
Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Board of Elections rejects candidate petitions filed by 7 incumbents
