What's on the ballot

TIFFIN — The Seneca County Board of Elections has issued an updated notification for the May 5 Primary Election. This clarifies contested local and state races and reflects the finalized candidate list for Democratic, Republican and Libertarian ballots. DemocratsDemocratic voters will choose candidates for several statewide and federal positions: Federal Offices - Sherrod Brown and Ron Kincaid are facing off for the U.S. Senate seat for the unexpired term ending January 3, 2029. The 5th District U.S. Representative race features a four-way contest between Daniel John Burket, Martin M. Heberling III, Brian A. Shaver, and Scott E. Tabor. State Executive - Amy Acton and David Pepper are running for Governor and Lt. Governor. Other contested races include Elliot Forhan vs. John J. Kulewicz for Attorney General, and Bryan Hambley vs. Allison Russo for Secretary of State. Annette Blackwell is seeking the office of Auditor of State, and Seth Walsh is the candidate for Treasurer of State. Legislative and Judicial - Aaron W. Jones is the candidate for State Representative (88th District). For the Ohio Supreme Court, Marilyn Zayas and Jennifer Brunner are both seeking Justice seats. Party Offices - For the State Central Committee (26th District), Chris Liebold and Randy Weston are competing for the Man position, while Brandi R. Downs and Gina R. Grandillo compete for the Woman position. RepublicansThe Republican primary features crowded fields for high-ranking state offices and local judicial seats: State Executive - Three tickets are vying for Governor and Lt. Governor: Heather Hill/Stuart Moats, Casey Putsch/Kimberly C. Georgeton, and Vivek Ramaswamy/Robert A. McColley. Other contested races include Robert Sprague vs. Marcell Strbich for Secretary of State, and Jay Edwards vs. Kristina D. Roegner for Treasurer of State. Keith Faber is running for Attorney General, and Frank LaRose is seeking the office of Auditor of State. Federal and Legislative - Jon Husted is running for the U.S. Senate (unexpired term ending 2029). Bob Latta is the candidate for U.S. Representative (5th District). In the 88th District, Gary Click and Eric Watson face off for State Representative. Judicial and County - The Ohio Supreme Court race includes Daniel R. Hawkins, Andrew King, Jill Lanzinger, Ronald Lewis and Colleen O'Donnell. Mark C. Miller is running for the 3rd District Court of Appeals, and Jay A. Meyer is a candidate for Judge of the Common Pleas Probate Division. Locally, Jim Distel and Bill Frankart are competing for County Commissioner, and Julie A. Adkins is running for County Auditor. Central Committee - A three-way race for the State Central Committee Man (26th District) features Charles A. Knight, Justin C. Smith, and Fred Vogel, while Susan Platt is the candidate for the Woman position. There are 51 available seats on the committee (one for each precinct in the county). Of those, 30 races are contested, meaning more than one Republican has filed for the single available seat in those precincts. LibertariansThe Libertarian field has seen a significant late-stage change. According to Seneca County Board of Elections Director Lori Elchert, a protest against U.S. Senate candidate Jeffrey Kanter has been granted, and he is no longer a certified candidate. Elchert noted that while Kanter's name may still appear on printed ballots, any votes cast for him will not be counted. The board is providing formal notice of this disqualification with all absentee and UOCAVA ballots. Federal and State Executive - William B. Redpath is now the sole certified candidate for the U.S. Senate. Don Kissick and James L. Mills are running for Governor and Lt. Governor, and Tom Pruss is the candidate for Secretary of State.Write-ins and Party Offices: Write-in options remain for Governor/Lt. Governor, Auditor of State, 5th District U.S. Representative and 88th District State Representative. Carl E. Fryman II is running for the State Central Committee (5th District). Local issues Liberty Township Fire Levy - Residents in Liberty Township and Bettsville Village will vote on a five-year, 0.75-mill additional tax levy for fire and EMS services. It is estimated to collect $53,185 annually, costing homeowners $26 per $100,000 of market value. Fostoria Liquor Option - Voters in precinct Fostoria 3B will decide whether to permit the Sunday sale of beer at In The Axe, L.L.C., located at 210 S. Main St. The final opportunity to register for the primary is 9 p.m. Monday, April 6. This deadline applies to online, paper and in-person registrations. Early voting begins April 7 and Election Day is May 5.