CLINTON COUNTY — The races are on. Deadline for local candidates and issue filings for the Nov. 7 election was 4 p.m. Wednesday and soon candidates will be verified for the ballot.
For Wilmington, the council’s 2nd Ward and At-Large seats are seeing some competition.
Michael Allbright, Democrat, and incumbent council member Lonnie Stuckert, Republican, will be going for council’s 2nd Ward seat.
Six candidates — three Democrats and three Republicans — will vie for the three At-Large seats. Angela Mitchell-Koster, Tyler Williams, and incumbent member Kelsey Swindler are running as Democrats. Chris Walls, Carter Cockman, and incumbent member Bill Liermann are running as Republicans.
Kristi Fickert and incumbent members Jonathan McKay and Matt Purkey face no challengers for their council seats. The same is true for Paul Fear for city treasurer.
Wilmington City School Board elections have Shawn Patterson and incumbents Marty Beaugard, Steve Murphy and Larry Roberts going for the three seats that are up. Incumbent member Patrick Zerby will face former school board member Kevin Snarr for the unexpired term.
For Blanchester, the school board election had nine locals turning in petitions to compete for the three seats. Joe Falgner is the only incumbent member, up for reelection, to file a petition. The others include Darlene Blanton, Dwayne Dearth, Kathy Gephart, Jack Long, Lois Wainscott, Betsy Wellman, Mike Williams, and Kyle Wilson.
Blanchester Village Council has five residents running for four seats. Reilly Hopkins, Republican, will go up against four incumbent members — Independent Tyler McCollister, and Republicans Gary Bauer, Lori Byrom, and Chad Hollon. James Bowling runs unopposed in the Village Board of Public Affairs race.
Blanchester also has a seven-year 1-percent income tax levy appearing on the ballot. If passed, the money will be used to help capital improvements, municipal operations, and hiring a Village Administrator.
Other elections in the county include the four seats in the Sabina Council election that has seven locals running — Michael Bishop, Bruce Gottschalk, Vicki Mongold, Bill Olds and incumbents William Lewis, Peggy Sloan, and Robert Storer.
Port William residents will have to vote between Village Council member Stephen Jones and Dan Thompson for the vacant mayor position.
The Jefferson Township Trustees race has Thomas Stroud facing incumbent members Dale Cochran and Joe Panetta.
Robert Carey will face East Clinton School Board incumbents Linda Compton, Tim Starkey, and Shane Walterhouse for the three spots.
The three seats up in the Clinton-Massie School Board election sees Michael Goodall, Dustin Eads, and incumbents Andrew Avery, Shane Carter, and Jeremy Lamb running.
Clinton-Massie will also have a five-year 5.8-mill additional tax levy to avoid an operating deficit of the school district.
Midland has two tax levies appearing on the ballot. A five-year, 3-mill renewal tax levy for current expenses, and a five-year replacement tax levy which will be for police protection.
Clark, Richland and Wayne townships have renewal tax levies on the ballot. Clark’s is a five-year 0.7-mill levy for providing and maintaining fire protection. Richland’s and Wayne’s five-year 1-mill will be for maintaining and operating cemeteries.
Washington Township’s five-year 0.85-mill additional tax levy will be for providing and maintaining fire protection.
Issues and candidates will be verified for the ballot at the next Board of Elections meetings on Aug. 17.
