MANSFIELD — Bellville mayor Darrell Banks appeared to upset incumbent Tim Wert in Tuesday’s primary election to become the Republican candidate for the Richland County commissioner’s seat in November.
Wert has occupied the seat for 12 years, but looks to have lost a tight race that was extremely close throughout Tuesday evening. Banks gleaned 8,668 votes compared to Wert’s 8,454, a percentage difference of 42.8 percent to 41.7 percent with all precincts reporting. David Morgenstern trailed the field with 15 percent.
Early Wednesday morning, at 12:04 a.m., Richland County Director of Elections Paulette Hankins sent out an email stating that “644 provisional ballots will be checked, verified and if valid, approved by the Board for counting with the Official Total. Unknown how many of each party.”
To this point, the unofficial total is not close enough (within 1/2 of 1-percent) to warrant a recount. However, it’s mathematically possible the total of provisionals and late absentee ballots could conceivably alter a race that stands at a 216-vote advantage for Banks.
The provisionals are not checked and verified until the official count on March 29, and certification two days later. Wert would have to carry roughly two-thirds of those votes to catch Banks.
Still, Banks, who was at a private event at the Wishmaker Restaurant Tuesday night, was excited by the results.
“It feels pretty good. I’m just excited to win. I worked awfully hard for this and it was tough race,” Banks said minutes after the final results came in to the Richland County Board of Elections.
Banks said his campaign knocked on 6,654 houses, 1,800 of which he knocked on personally.
“I enjoyed that part of it, communicating to them what needs to happen,” he said.
If the unofficial results hold, Banks would be pitted against Democratic candidate Ron Davis in November’s general election. Davis was unopposed in the primary.
“I’m not afraid to work, I’ve always been part of it. I’ll hang in there and get it (the win),” said Banks, who added he hopes to create an environment in Richland County where businesses can thrive.
Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon won his GOP race with 13,313 votes to best challenger Jerry Botdorf’s 8,407.
“I’m very happy and thankful for the voters in Richland County for keeping me,” Sheldon said. “It shows confidence of what we’ve done in the past and confidence for what’s in store for the future.”
Sheldon will be challenged by democrat Matt Mayer in the general election.
“We’re going to sit down and refocus and strategize again,” Sheldon said.
But his strategy won’t change much — he said he will still focus on his successes and what he hopes for in the future.
Botdorf, Sheldon’s challenger and a registered Republican, said he will cross party lines and support Mayer in the general election.
Dan Burwell earned the Republican nod for coroner, topping challenger Paul Ritenour with 36 percent.
Crawford County results
Crawford County Commissioner candidate Mo Ressallat won after a back-and-forth GOP primary race between Terry Gribble and Michael Schiefer.
The results were close: Ressallat with 34.8 percent, Schiefer with 33 percent and Gribble finished with 32 percent. Ressallat was not available for comment Tuesday night.
Republican prosecutor Matt Crall won by a landslide with 68 percent to top challenger Robert Ratliff’s 31 percent.
Incumbent commissioner Doug Weisenhauer, a Republican, beat back a challenge by Jeff Sheerer with a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent.
