BUCYRUS — Familiar names will be on the ballot for Crawford County residents, but a few of them will be running for a new position in the May 8 primary election.
The commissioner and state representative races will be hotly contested on the Republican ticket.
Incumbent Jenny Vermillion is seeking re-election as county commissioner, but she will be facing Tim Ley, a Colonel Crawford school board member, and Jeff Teynor, who lost to Mo Ressallat in 2016. There are no democrats running for county commissioner.
The names on the ballot for the Republican candidates for State Representative may also look a little familiar to Crawford County residents.
Long-time county commissioner Doug Weisenauer is looking to make the jump to the state level. Steve Reinhard, who served as the 87th District’s representative from 2001 to 2008, will make another run at the office after losing out to Wes Goodman in the 2016 general election.
Riordan McClain, who was appointed earlier this year after Goodman resigned amid allegations of inappropriate behavior, will be running for re-election. McClain is a relative newcomer, but the last name may be familiar to many. McClain is the son of Jeff McClain, who served as the 87th District State Representative from 2009 to 2016.
Crestline resident Mary Pierce-Broadwater is running unopposed as a democrat for the State Representative seat.
County Auditor Joan Wolfe is running for re-election unopposed as a republican. The term would commence March 11, 2019.
Republican incumbent Jim Jordan will battle Joseph Miller of Marion for the 4th District’s U.S. Representative. On the opposite side of the aisle, democrats Janet Garrett of Oberlin, Cody James Slatzer-Rose of New Albany, and Leah Sellers of Marysville will tangle in the primary.
There will be five local issues on the ballot, though none of them will affect the entire county.
The Bucyrus Public Library is seeking an additional 0.5 mill, five-year levy for current expenses, including proper furnishings, maintenance, operations, and rendering of free library services. If passed, the levy would commence in 2018 with the first payment due in 2019.
This will be the first time residents outside of Bucyrus will be able to vote on a Bucyrus Public Library levy. Bucyrus residents voted down a levy in 2011 and, in an attempt to better serve the community, the library expanded its borders in 2015. The library’s boundaries now encompass the Wynford Local School District, up to Ohio 602, and north to the Buckeye Central School District boundary.
Residents within the Wynford Local School District will have the chance to renew two levies. There will be no additional taxes in either case. One levy is a 6.96 mills, three-year levy for operating expenses. The second is a 1.82 mills, three-year levy to avoid an operating deficit.
Crestline Exempted Village School District will also aim to renew a 10 mills, five-year levy to avoid an operating deficit.
Cranberry Township residents will determine if wine and mixed beverages shall be permitted for sale between 10 a.m. and midnight on Sundays at Mickey Mart, a convenience store and gas station at 125 S. Kibler St. in New Washington. Mickey Mart is currently a holder of D-1 and D-2 liquor permits and an applicant for a D-6 liquor permit.
