MANSFIELD — Richland County Commissioner Marilyn John was elected to her third term as chair of the county’s Republican Party during its recent biennial re-organizational meeting.
John, an elected official since January 2010 and the Republican nominee for state representative in November, was also selected executive committee chair.
Members of the party’s central committee, elected in the 2020 primary, selected its party leaders for the next two years.
Other officers elected to the executive committee bring a variety of public and private experience to the board.
Bill Freytag, former Shelby mayor and councilman, was elected vice chair. Zoi Romanchuk, president of the Richland County Republican Women will serve as Secretary and Lu Blankenship as treasurer.
For the central committee, Megan Whatman was elected to her first term as chairperson and Cliff Mears, Mansfield City Council president, as Vice-Chair. Both have a long history of service to the local Republican Party. Jane Zimmerman, deputy director of the Board of Elections, was elected secretary.
“As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s right to vote, Megan and I are proud to lead our local Republican Party. This is the first time in our county party’s history that two women have served in these roles together,” John said.
“We look forward to working with our local, state and federal candidates to promote their vision and the message of the Republican Party to the residents of Richland County,” she said.
