Denise Smith elected chair of Portage Democratic Party; party endorses candidates

Diane Smith, Record-Courier
·2 min read
The Portage County Democratic Party appointed officers to serve full terms on June 1. Appointed were Denise Smith, chair; Christopher Clevenger-Morris, first vice-chair; Sharon Spencer, second vice-chair; Audrey Kessler, secretary; Gary Horning, Treasurer and Terrie Nielsen, parliamentarian. From left are, front row, Spencer, Smith, Kessler and, back row, Morris, Nielsen and Horning. Issuing the oath of office is Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci.
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Denise Smith, who was named acting chair of the Portage County Democratic Party earlier this year, will now have that position for the next four years.

More: Dean DePerro steps down as chair of Portage Democrats; Denise Smith to take helm

The Portage County Democratic Party met June 1 to elect officers to four-year terms. Smith, appointed in March to succeed Dean DePerro after he stepped down as chairman of the party, was elected chair. In addition, Christopher Clevenger-Morris, who is president of the Young Democrats, was elected first vice chair; community activist and former Ravenna City Councilwoman Sharon Spencer was elected second vice chair; secretary Audrey Kessler; Gary Horning was elected treasurer; and Theresa Nielsen, deputy director for the Portage County Board of Elections, was elected parliamentarian.

DePerro, who also serves as Portage County coroner, resigned his position at the party’s regular quarterly meeting in March, saying he needed to devote more time working in the addiction clinic that he founded with Town Hall ll in Kent several years ago.

The party also swore in Central Committee members elected last month. Those individuals will serve through 2026. Portage County Municipal Court Judge Melissa Roubic administered the oath of office.

Portage County Prosecutor, Victor Vigluicci acting as temporary chair while the officers were elected, and administered the oath of office to them.

Smith is the first woman elected to the position of Portage County chair. A resident of Portage County since 1983, Smith graduated from Hiram College and the University of Akron School of Law. She retired in 2018, with more than 25 years, as chief assistant Portage County prosecutor, and serves as the chairwoman of the Portage County Board of Elections.

The Central Committee also voted to endorse Democratic candidates seeking election in November’s General Election. Endorsed candidates include: Geraldine Hayes-Nelson for county commissioner; Kathleen Clyde for Ohio House of Representatives; Brad Cromes for county auditor; Matt Kilboy for the U.S. House of Representative; Judge Paula Giulitto for the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division and Judge Laurie Pittman for the Court of Common Pleas, General Division.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Denise Smith elected to full term as chair of Portage Dems