Now, there will be 19 contested races in November ― instead of the 22 that were possible when petitions were submitted.
Before this year, the most not certified petitions were the six from 2017, according to the Butler County Board of Elections. In 2019, three candidates were not certified.
Butler County elections office Deputy Director Eric Corbin said the number of rejected petitions could have come from inexperience, but he can’t say for sure as a candidate’s experience is not tracked.
The rejected petitions changed the dynamics for multiple races, including Fairfield City Council. With two potential candidates in that race having their petitions rejected, it went from a potential five-way contest for three seats to uncontested.
Keshab Acharya and Abdoul Mbow both had their petitions for Fairfield City Council invalidated for different reasons but ended with the same result: not enough valid signatures for certification. Both would have been first-time candidates.
One of the pages of signatures in Acharya’s petition packet indicated a different amount of signatures than actually appeared. Because of that, only 36 signatures were validated, according to the Butler County Board of Elections. Candidates for a municipal office, such as city or village, need 50 valid signatures of registered voters within boundaries for the office.
Mbow’s petition was missing his signature in some areas as well as statutory language, which resulted in only 15 names being validated.
Irvine W. Muchmore would have been one of two candidates for Millville Village Council, though four seats are open. However, Muchmore’s petitions were invalidated because he was not a “qualified elector,” according to the county elections office. Muchmore’s voting registration was canceled in 2019 due to inactivity, officials said.
New Miami Village Council also had just two people seeking one of four open seats. But Victoria Hall will not be on the ballot because only 43 valid signatures remained after part of her petition was invalidated. Elections officials said it’s believed one person signed for two people, and another person signed for two other people. Election officials said at least four staff members reviewed the signatures and “unanimously concluded” the Circulator’s Statement that “every signature is . . . the signature of the person whose signature it purports to be” was invalidated.
The same thing happened with Ernie Lenos, who planned to run for St. Clair Twp. trustee, election officials said. Officials said there was one person who allegedly signed for two names, thus resulting in his petition having only 17 valid signatures. Township offices require 25 valid signatures.
Cody Harper, Russel McGurrin and Troy Rees, potential candidates for Hanover Twp. trustee, Ross Twp. trustee, and Butler County Education Service Center, respectively, all lacked signatures by the circulator.
Drew Davidson, who was seeking the unexpired term for the Hamilton City School Board, did not have enough valid registered voters sign petitions.
One race that wasn’t contested before Monday’s certification, but is now, is the Hamilton mayoral race. Mayor Pat Moeller is being contested by write-in candidate Jeff Neal, of Washington Street. Neal’s name will not appear on the ballot, nor will the other five write-in candidates running for the five open seats in Jacksonburg (one for mayor and four village council).
One race won’t be shored up until after Thursday. Middletown, per its city charter, allows candidates for city offices (not school board) to file later. This year’s filing deadline for the at-large Middletown council race is Thursday.
There are two open seats for the council race with four certified candidates. At least two more are seeking certification. The elections board meets next on Tuesday.
Write-in candidates have until Monday to file. Names of non-certified write-in candidates will not be counted, according to state law.
IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES
Sept. 17: Military and overseas absentee voting begins
Oct. 4: Last day to register to vote for Nov. 2 election (which can be done online)
Oct. 5: Early in-person voting and vote-by-mail begins
Nov. 2: Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Source: Butler County Board of Elections, Ohio Secretary of State
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