Primary election filing deadline: Incumbent sheriff, commissioners face challengers

Several local races will be contested in the March primary election.

The filing deadline to get on the ballot was 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Incumbent Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon is part of a crowded Republican field that also could include two former sheriff's supervisors. Matt Mayer will be one challenger. Donald Zehner's candidacy is pending review, according to Matt Finfgeld, director of the county board of elections.

He said candidates for sheriff have to provide extra paperwork, and the BOE hasn't received a document yet.

Candidates have to be certified 78 days prior to election, so the board will meet at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 about Zehner's situation.

Sheldon is serving his fifth term following a lengthy stint at the Mansfield Police Department.

Mayer was a sergeant in the detective bureau when he retired. He ran unsuccessfully against Sheldon in 2016, when he was a Democrat.

Zehner was a captain with the department, serving several decades until he was let go earlier this fall.

Incumbent county commissioners facing challengers

Both open seats for Richland County commissioner have two candidates filing as Republicans. Incumbent Darrell Banks will face local attorney Jodie Dees in one race. Democrat Aaron Williams was certified during Thursday's board of elections meeting.

The race for the other open seat is between incumbent Tony Vero and David Morgenstern, who has run for commissioner a number of times.

In the 4th Congressional District race, three Democrats were pending review on Thursday afternoon. Jeffrey Sites, Stephen Thomas and Tamara Wilson are vying for the right to challenge Republican incumbent Jim Jordan. Sites and Wilson both previously ran unsuccessfully against Jordan.

Finfgeld explained that the most populous county in the district, in this case Delaware, will make the certification.

A message was left for the Delaware County Board of Elections on Friday morning.

There are a number of other local races featuring candidates who will face off in November's general election.

Jodie Schumacher, who became county prosecutor earlier this year, faces no competition. She is a Republican and replaced Gary Bishop.

In the race for county clerk of courts, Republican Denise Ruhl, who was appointed earlier this year to replace Lin Frary, will face Democrat Chris Adams, who was certified Thursday. Frary retired in the spring because of her battle with ALS.

Republican Denise Jackson is the lone candidate for county recorder. She replaced longtime recorder Sarah Davis, who retired in September.

Engineer, coroner, treasurer run unopposed

Three incumbents face no competition. They are county Engineer Adam Gove, county Coroner Daniel Burwell and county Treasurer Bart Hamilton.

Gove and Burwell are Republicans, while Hamilton is a Democrat.

Republican incumbent Marilyn John will face a challenge from Democrat Alomar Davenport, who was certified Thursday, in the race for state representative for the 76th District. Davenport is finishing up a term as a Mansfield City Council member. John is former Shelby mayor and a former county commissioner.

The petitions for Republican incumbent Mark Romanchuk and Democrat Kathy Salem were pending review as of Friday morning. They are vying for the Ohio Senate's 22nd District. Medina County will determine certification. There was no answer at the office on Friday morning.

The primary election is relatively light issues-wise. Leading the way are a 0.25%, four-year income tax for Mansfield residents to go for water main repair, the same issue voters turned down in November, and a 6.4-mill, 10-year renewal levy for Lexington Local Schools.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Richland County sheriff and two county commissioners being challenged