MANSFIELD — Democrat Paulette Hankins was unanimously appointed director of the Richland County Board of Elections on Wednesday during the organization’s bi-annual re-organizational meeting.

Jane Zimmermann was unanimously appointed as the Republican deputy director.

The staff members, Debbie Obenour, Democrat, Carrie Hill, Republican, Diana Naumoff, Democrat and Jen Dover, Republican, were reappointed as election specialists to two-year terms in their positions.

Obenour and Hill are full-time staff employees. Naumoff and Dover are permanent part time employees.

Republican Bill Freytag was chosen unanimously by the board members as the chairman. The chairman selected must be of the opposite political party of the cirector.

Freytag replaces Jeff Wilkinson, who retired Feb after two terms on the board and more than 20 years as deputy director/director of the board.

Freytag was recently appointed to serve as a member of the board as selected by the Richland County Republican Party. Lydia J. Reid was recently chosen by the Richland County Democratic Party to serve a third term on the board.

The other two members of the board are Democrat Joseph H. Mudra, currently serving his fourth term on the board, and Karen Browning who is in her first term on the board.