Races, issues to appear on Nov. 2 ballot

Van Wert independent news

City and village council races, along with races for school boards, township trustee, a proposed Charter Commission and various local issues will be on the November 2 general election ballot in Van Wert County.

Wednesday, August 4, was the deadline to file petitions for issues or candidates in time for the election, although write-in candidates have until August 23 to file.

Contested races

According to information provided by the Van Wert County Board of Elections, only a handful of races around the will be contested.

Jordan Dettrow and David Stinnett filed petitions to run for the Van Wert City Council second ward city council seat currently held by Joi Mergy, who opted not to seek reelection.

23 people are running for 15 seats on Van Wert’s proposed Charter Commission. The names are Jon C. Tomlinson, Mark Verville, Bradley D. Custis, Andrew G. Bashore, Eric Hurless, Dennis K. Williams, Hall Block, Troy Miller, Mitch Price, Burdette Bolenbaugh, Judith Sampson, Martha Balyeat, Mariea Moreland, Krista Somerton, Robert Laing, Nate Hoverman, Pat Crummey, Chad Dicke, Anthony Adams, Veronica Cuevas, Kirby Kelley, Stephen Joseph Jared and Linda Sidle.

Five township trustee races will be contested. Dustin K. Figley, Dennis G. Hoover and John Staten are running for two seats in Harrison Township; Kyle Arn, Dean K. Girod and Chris Webb are vying for a pair of trustee seats in Hoaglin Township; Trent Harting, Mark Keber and Todd Krugh are candidates for two seats in Liberty Township; T. Jay Gamble, Stephen Mengerink and Todd J. Wallace are running for two seats in Pleasant Township, and Bob H. Trentman, Mark A. Wilson and Joseph N. Whittler are the candidates for two seats in Washington Township.

In the Lincolnview school district, four people are running for three school board seats – Kelly Ray Dye and incumbents Eric Germann, Lori Snyder and Mark Zielke.

The only other race affects just a small portion of Van Wert County. Five people are running for three seats on the Delphos Local School District Board of Education – Bettina S. Brinkman, Jason Grogg, Dan Kirby, Robert Andy North and Rebecca Suever. All five have been certified in Van Wert County but await certification from the Allen County Board of Elections.

Uncontested races

The majority of races in Van Wert County are uncontested.

Former Van Wert Mayor Gerald Mazur is unopposed in his bid to become President of Van Wert City Council. Mazur will replace Jon Tomlinson, who is not seeking reelection.

Three Van Wert City Council at-large seats are open and three people are running: incumbents Jeffery Kallas and Bill Marshall. Current councilman at-large Joel Penton is not running for another term.

First ward councilman Jeff Agler is unopposed in his bid for reelection, while Julie Moore is the only candidate seeking election in the third ward. Incumbent Andrew Davis is running opposed for reelection in the fourth ward.

Four people are running for Convoy Village Council seats: Christopher Bolenbaugh, Patti Cramer, William B. Dull and Neal Orsbon, while four people are seeking four Ohio City Village Council seats.

John Hanf, Lauren Honigford, Brenda Mengerink and Lisa A. Merkle are running for four Middle Point Village Council seats and Mark Dickman is the sole candidate running for an unexpired term as village mayor.

Write-in candidate Mark Grotehouse is unopposed in the race for Delphos fourth ward council.

Incumbents Greg Blackmore and Scott Mull are the only two candidates running for two open seats on the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education, while three seats are open and three incumbents are seeking reelection in the Crestview Local School District board race – Lori Bittner, Nan Grace and Brad Perrott.

Two seats are open and two people are running in each of the following townships: Scott Deitering and Doug Teman, Jackson Township; Michael Hiett and Eric Kill, Jennings Township; Scott Davis and William Poe, Ridge Township; Craig Feasby and Tom Gibson, Tully Township; David Jones and Kent Rolsten, Union Township; Bradley Michaud and Randy Oeschle, Willshire Township, and Brad Schwartz and Nick Williams, York Township.

More seats than candidates

Four villages around the county have council openings, but not enough candidates to fill the seats.

In Ohio City, four seats are up for grabs but only three people are running – Glory Agler, Larry Krugh and Robin McConn. Three people are running for four Scott Village Council seats – Eric Baker, Stanley Pratt and Stephen Yoder. The same is true in Venedocia, where Thomas Emery, Doug Price and Isaac Young are running for village council, leaving one seat open.

Just two people are seeking seats in the race for Willshire Village Council – Bryan Hess and Ruth Denise Knowles.

Local issues

15 local issues will appear on the November 2 ballot.

City of Delphos: property tax renewal, 4.05 mills, five years, current operating expenses.
City of Van Wert: proposed Charter Commission ballot (see above for names).
Village of Convoy: two property tax renewals, two mills, five years, current expenses.
Village of Middle Point: two property tax renewals, 1.3 mills, five years, current expenses; three mills, five years, fire expenses.
Village of Venedocia: property tax renewal, 1.2 mills, five years, fire protection.
York Township: property tax renewal, 2.1 mills, three years, fire and EMS protection.
Union Township: property tax renewal, one mill, five years, current expenses.
Hoaglin Township: property tax renewal, 1.8 mills, three years, fire protection and ambulance services.
Spencerville Local School District (overlaps Allen and Auglaize counties): income tax renewal, one percent, five years, current expenses.
Crestview Local School District: property tax renewal, two mills, five years, permanent improvements.
Washington Township West Fire District: property tax renewal, one mill, five years, fire and EMS protection.
Pleasant Township (excluding Van Wert City): property tax renewal, 1.25 mills, three years, fire services, EMS protection.
Tully-Convoy Park District: property tax replacement and decrease, 0.3 mills, final rate one mill, five years, current operating expenses and future improvements.

The deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 4, and the first day of early voting is Tuesday, October 5.