A look at the men running for Ross County Commissioner

CHILLICOTHE — During the primary election voters in Ross County will see some new names on the ballot when voting for county commissioner. Currently, five men are running for the two open seats.

Democratic Party

Democrats will see one name on the primary ballot this election season.

Mark Hirsch

Mark Hirsch was born and raised in Ross County, graduating from Chillicothe High School before joining the United States Marine Corps. After serving he came back to the area and began working at the paper mill as a laborer, working his way up through the ranks as the business changed.

Having never run in an election before Hirsch decided to run for county commissioner after he realized how similar his current job was to the job of being a commissioner, for example, he often deals with large amounts of budgeting and planning already. He also wanted to serve the community and make sure there were options for voters.

"I'm at the point in my life where I can serve my community and that's what I want to do," said Hirsch.

If elected Hirsch wants to use his experience to ensure that all voices are heard in the community. He said everyone, regardless of connection in the community, deserves to have their voices heard and taken into consideration. After listening to all opinions he hopes to make decisions based on what will help the most people. Hirsch also wants to help those in the community by looking into solutions for housing and other problems that the community faces.

When voting Hirsch hopes voters remember that he will take all citizen's points of view into account and he will work for the betterment of the people.

Republican Party

Republicans will choose two candidates from the races of David Glass vs. Ken Shelton and Jason Link vs. James Lowe.

David Glass

David Glass was born and raised in Ross County, graduating from Zane Trace. After traveling around the state for his job he moved back to the area to raise his family.

With a background in economic development Glass worked for the state and traveled to different counties in Ohio to help them plan for their future, through this he saw what worked and what didn't so he is hoping to use his knowledge to help Ross County stay ahead of the curve.

"I think we have the opportunity to be the most prosperous community of our size," said Glass.

Glass said his age brings something new to the table, he turns 30 this year, and he hopes to bring in new ideas and help represent the younger generation of people in Ross County. As a father, he also knows what Ross County needs to become more attractive to new families.

He hopes to increase industry across the community but he knows to do that the County needs to make a plan for where they want to be in the next 20 years and focus on what is currently missing that is needed to reach those goals. Glass also said that the county can't accomplish everything on its own which is why he wants to build relationships with public and private organizations and work together to reach larger goals.

When voting Glass hopes voters remember that if elected he will help the county by thinking of future generations and planning for long-term success.

Ken Shelton

Ken Shelton is a local businessman in the community who previously served as the Chairman of the Board for the Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on multiple boards and committees in the community. He is also a former firefighter and EMS for Liberty Township Fire and Rescue and a former Ross County Reserve Sheriff Deputy.

Shelton said he is not a politician and though the role as a commissioner is political he sees it as a way to extend his public service and do more for the area.

"I consider it more of a community service position," said Shelton.

If elected he hopes to use his knowledge and experience to help with economic development, including supporting businesses that are already here and making the county desirable for new businesses. he said this includes supporting the schools and housing so that people want to come here. He also wants to support the townships with their first responder needs. As a commissioner he wants to allow the townships to do what they think is best for them while offering advice and support.

When voting Shelton hopes people remember that he has business experience and has worked with many of the groups the county helps, so his knowledge will help him do what is best for the community.

Jason Link

Jason Link is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Chillicothe and has served on the boards of different committees and boards in the area. He and his family moved to the area nine years ago and since then he has worked to be as involved as possible in the community.

When thinking about running and serving as a commissioner Link said while he will keep his roles as pastor and commissioner separate the work will not be too different. He currently serves to help his church and if elected he will be working to serve and do what is best for the people of Ross County.

One of his main goals if elected is to create more transparency within county commisoners. This includes finding a way to livestream weekly meetings so that those not able to go in person can still see what is going on and making it easier for townships and citizens to have their voices heard.

"If there is an issue that concerns a public citizen then they should voice those concerns," said Link.

He also wants to find ways to make Ross County more inviting to businesses and housing developers while using taxpayer money efficiently.

When at the polls Link wants voters to remember that he will work towards doing what is in the best interests of taxpayers and the people in Ross County.

James Lowe

James Lowe is currently serving as Vice President for the Ross County Commissioner having started in this position in 2021. He is a lifelong resident of the county having graduated from Adena Local Schools and going on to serve in the United States Army and as a member of the Chillicothe Police Department. He has also served on the Adena School Board and currently serves on a number of boards in the community.

"I love Ross County, period," said Lowe. "There is no other place I would want to go."

When he first ran in 2020 Lowe said he hoped to improve communication between the county and the townships located within it. By working with the townships, and allowing them to work on themselves, he believes he has boosted this relationship, he has also given out his number and encouraged members of the townships and city council to call him when they need help from commissioners.

He is also proud of the work he has done to help with upgrades to the Ross County Jail, the Ross County Airport and the Ross County Courthouse during his time as commissioner.

If re-elected he hopes to continue working on infrastructure projects, like sewer and gas lines as well as solar farms, that will help increase the county's attractiveness to new businesses. By attracting new industries he hopes to help make Ross County more of a place where people want to stay.

When voting Lowe wants people to remember that he is an active member of his political party who will work hard to get stuff one and reach his goals.

The primary election will take place from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 19. Early voting starts on Feb. 21, citizens can vote early from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ross County Board of Elections.

Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Learn more about those running for Ross County Commissioner