MOUNT VERNON — Much has been made about what won’t be on Ohio’s May 3 primary ballot.
But what about what will be?
Local candidates and issues
Knox County voters will have relatively little to decide at the local level, with just two contested races and two issues on the ballot.
Republican voters in the Clay Township/Martinsburg precinct will decide between Dan Offineer and Chodd Armfelt for a seat on the Knox County Republican Central Committee.
Democratic voters in Mount Vernon’s 4-A precinct will decide between Julia Warga and Chris Harman for a seat on the Knox County Democratic Central Committee.
Fredericktown-area voters will determine the fate of a 1-mill renewal levy brought forth by the Fredericktown Community Joint Ambulance District. The levy, commencing in 2022 and lasting five years, would provide funds to continue emergency medical and ambulance services in and around the village.
Loudonville-area voters will determine the fate of a 0.8-mill renewal levy brought forth by the Loudonville Public Library. The levy, commencing in 2022 and lasting five years, would provide funds to cover operating expenses.
The rest of the candidates on this year’s primary ballot will run unopposed.
Roger Munday, a Democrat, will run unopposed for his party’s bid in the race for county commissioner. He will face off this fall against Bill Pursel, who currently holds office and is running unopposed for the Republican bid this spring.
Republicans Richard Wetzel and Tanner Salyers will run unopposed in the spring primary as well. Wetzel is looking to retain his position as Knox County Common Pleas Court judge, while Salyers is looking to retain his position as county recorder.
Both will also run unopposed in the Nov. 8 general election, pending the certification of independent or write-in candidates.
Sarah Thorne, a Republican, will run unopposed for her party’s bid in the race for county auditor. She is aiming to take the place of Jonette Curry, who said she plans to retire next March after 12 years in-office.
Thorne currently serves as a deputy auditor in Curry’s office. She will run unopposed in November, pending the certification of independent or write-in candidates.
These candidates will run unopposed for seats on the Knox County Republican Central Committee:
- Shelley Coon (Mount Vernon 1-A)
- Deborah Malek (Mount Vernon 1-B)
- Joshua Kirby (Mount Vernon 1-C)
- John P. Ruckman (Mount Vernon 2-A)
- Bruce Hawkins (Mount Vernon 3-B)
- Jeff Gottke (Mount Vernon 4-A)
- John Nixon (Mount Vernon 4-B)
- Christy Milligan Staton (Brown Township)
- Dusty Buckingham (Butler Township)
- Galen Smith (Clinton Township B)
- Teresa Bemiller (Clinton Township C)
- Mark Ramser (Gambier C)
- Claude Gates (Harrison Township)
- Lynn McCann (Hilliar Township A)
- Saundra Dove (Centerburg)
- Tom Pettay (Howard Township C)
- Don McDaniel (Howard Township E)
- Terry Zeller (Liberty Township B)
- Cameron Keaton (Miller Township)
- Scott Pullins (Monroe Township A)
- Bill Pursel (Monroe Township B)
- Clinten Lingel (Morgan Township)
- Terry Divelbiss (Morris Township A)
- Chip McConville (Morris Township B)
- William Lawhorn Jr. (Pleasant Township)
- Diane Randall (Wayne Township)
- Alan Kintner (Fredericktown A)
- Margaret Ann Ruhl (Fredericktown B)
These candidates will run unopposed for seats on the Knox County Democratic Central Committee:
- Patricia Keane (Mount Vernon 1-A)
- Mary Rugola-Dye (Mount Vernon 2-B)
- Adam Gilson (Mount Vernon 2-C)
- Janet Chandler (Mount Vernon 3-A)
- Joyce Skocic (Mount Vernon 3-B)
- Franklin Brown (Berlin Township)
- Dennis Rawson (Brown Township)
- Linda Michaels (College Township)
- Jill Grubb (Gambier A)
- Nancy Bevan (Harrison Township)
- Elaine Stull (Howard Township B)
- John Robert Fetters (Howard Township C)
- Kathleen Tate (Howard Township D)
- Margaret Dunn (Monroe Township A)
- Amanda Shufelberger (Morris Township B)
- Patricia Burdette (Pike Township)
- Erin Salva (Wayne Township)
State candidates and issues
Republicans and Democrats in Knox County will help decide primary races at the state level for governor/lieutenant governor, secretary of state, U.S. senator, 12th District Congressional representative, and 5th District Court of Appeals judge.
Republican voters will decide between Mike DeWine and Jon Husted, Ron Hood and Candice Keller, Jim Renacci and Joe Knopp, and Joe Blystone and Jeremiah W. Workman for their party’s bid in the race for governor/lieutenant governor. DeWine and Husted are incumbents, while the rest are challengers.
Democratic voters will decide between John Cranley and Teresa Fedor, and Nan Whaley and Cheryl L. Stephens, for their party’s bid in the same race.
The Republican and Democratic primary winners will square off in the general election this November.
Republican voters will also decide between Frank LaRose and John Adams for their party’s bid in the race for secretary of state. LaRose is the incumbent; Adams is the challenger.
The winner will square off against Democrat Chelsea Clark this November, pending the certification of independent or write-in candidates. Clark is running unopposed for the Democratic bid this spring.
Republican voters will decide between seven candidates for their party’s bid in the race for U.S. Senate representative. Mike Gibbons, Josh Mandel, Neil Patel, Mark Pukita, Jane Timken, J.D. Vance and Matt Dolan are all running.
Democratic voters will decide between three candidates for their party’s bid in the same race: Morgan Harper, Traci Johnson and Tim Ryan.
The winners from each primary race will face off in November, seeking to assume the seat occupied by outgoing Senator Rob Portman.
Brandon Michael Lape and Troy Balderson, both Republicans, are squaring off for their party’s bid in the race for 12th District Congressional representative. Michael Fletcher and Amy Rippel-Elton, meanwhile, will square off for the Democratic Party’s bid in the same race.
Republicans Jeff Furr and Andrew King are facing off for their party’s bid in the race for 5th District Court of Appeals judge. The winner will square off against Democrat Earle E. Wise Jr. in November, pending the certification of independent or write-in candidates. Wise Jr. is running unopposed for the Democratic bid this spring.
Seven other state-level Republicans will run unopposed in the spring primary: Dave Yost (attorney general), Keith Faber (auditor), Robert Sprague (treasurer), Sharon L. Kennedy (chief justice of the Supreme Court), Pat Fischer (Supreme Court justice), Pat DeWine (Supreme Court justice), and Craig Baldwin (5th District Court of Appeals judge).
Nine other state-level Democrats will run unopposed in the spring primary: Jeffrey A. Crossman (attorney general), Taylor Sappington (auditor), Chelsea Clark (secretary of state), Scott Schertzer (treasurer), Jennifer Brunner (chief justice of the Supreme Court), Terri Jamison (Supreme Court justice), Marilyn Zayas (Supreme Court justice), Earle E. Wise Jr. (5th District Court of Appeals judge), and David T. Ball (5th District Court of Appeals judge).
Candidates for state legislative offices and state central committee seats will not appear on the May 3 ballot, as races for those positions are based on legislative districts (which are currently up for debate).
Early voting began April 5. It will continue each weekday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Knox County Board of Elections office (104 E. Sugar St. in Mount Vernon) until Election Day. Click here to see Ohio’s complete early voting schedule.
For more information on this year’s primary election, and other future elections, visit the Knox County Board of Elections’ website.
