Local races, issues to be highlighted

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

General election day is less than five weeks away, Tuesday, November 8, and the ballot will feature a mix of local and statewide races and issues.

Locally, incumbent Van Wert County Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger is being challenged by independent candidate Kyle Gehres, and voters in the newly created 82nd District will choose between Republican Roy Klopfenstein and Democrat Magdalene Markward. The newly drawn 82nd district includes all of Van Wert, Paulding and Putnam counties, along with the majority of Defiance County.

In the interest of a better informed voting public, the VW independent will feature pre-election stories on the county commissioner and 82nd District races later this month.

Local voters will also decide on the Fifth District Congressional race between incumbent Republican Bob Latta and Democratic challenger Craig Swartz.

A number of statewide elections will appear on the ballot.

Incumbent Republican Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted are seeking re-election against Democratic challengers Nan Whaley and Cheryl L. Stephens, and four write-in candidates: Timothy Grady and Dayna Bickley, Craig Patton and Colleen Cook, Renea Turner and Adina Pelletier, and Marshall Usher and Shannon Walker.

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Dave Yost is being challenged by Democrat Jeffery A. Crossman, while incumbent GOP Auditor Keith Faber is running against Democratic challenger Taylor Sappington. A three-way race will be held for Ohio Secretary of State, with incumbent Republican Frank LaRose running against a pair of challengers, Democrat Scott Schertzer and Independent Terpsehore Tore Maras.

Democrat Tim Ryan and Republican JD Vance are running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Rob Portman, who opted not to seek re-election. Five write-in candidates are also seeking the seat: John Cheng, Matthew R. Esh, Stephen Faris, Shane Hoffman and Lashondra Tinsley.

Incumbent 5th District U.S. Congressman Bob Latta is seeking re-election and is being challenged by Democrat Craig Schwartz.

Democrat Jennifer Brunner and Republican Sharon L. Kennedy are running for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Other high court races will pit Republican Pat Fischer against Democrat Terri Jamison, and Republican Pat DeWine against Marilyn Zayas.

A number of local issues will appear on the November 8 ballot.

Voters in Van Wert will decide if city council and administration races should become non-partisan, the same as school board or township trustee races. Currently, anyone who runs for a Van Wert City Council seat or administrative post such as mayor appears as a Democrat, Republican or Independent on the ballot.

Vantage Career Center and Apollo Career Center are seeking approval of property tax renewals, Willshire, the Delphos Public Library District, and Tully Township, excluding the village of Convoy.

Willshire village voters will decide on a replacement levy for current expenses, and natural gas aggregation issues will be on the ballot in the villages of Convoy and Middle Point.

Voters in Pleasant Township North will decide on four ballot issues allowing the sale and Sunday sales of beer, wine, mixed beverages and liquor by Van Wert Cinemas, AKA Saunders Theater Properties 4 and Saunders Theater Operations 4.

The VW independent will run pre-election features explaining many of those issues in greater detail in the days leading up to November 8.

In addition, a pair of constitutional amendments will appear on the ballot. State Issue I deals with bail and public safety, while State Issue 2 would prohibit local government from allowing non-electors to vote.