MANSFIELD — The deadline for candidates in the City of Mansfield to file petitions to run in the May primary is less than a month away on Feb. 1.
Yet it’s already clear there will be some contested races on the ballot in what will become a busy, crucial election cycle in Mansfield — which starts with the primary on May 2.
Part of what makes this an important local election is the fact Mayor Tim Theaker, Finance Director Linn Steward and Law Director John Spon are in their third and final four-year terms in office.
They are prohibited from seeking re-election under the city charter. So local residents are guaranteed to have three new leaders in the administration in January 2024.
Let’s go down the candidate list as of Friday, Jan. 6, according to information from Richland County Board of Elections Director Matt Finfgeld on Friday morning.
The board will meet Friday, Feb. 3, at 10 a.m. to certify all petitions. Finfgeld said all candidates who have filed petitions thus far have sufficient numbers of valid signatures.
Mansfield mayor
Four Republicans have taken out petitions to seek the office.
Three of those office seekers have returned them — Jim Holsinger, Jodie Perry and Steward. The fourth Republican, Stephanie Zader, took out petitions in July 2021, but has not yet filed them with the board of election.
It’s the first run for office for Holsinger, who works at Fin, Feather Fur Outfitters in Ashland.
It’s also the first time for Perry, the chief operating officer at Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
Steward is near the end of her third and final elected term as the city’s finance director.
Zader is an At-large member of Mansfield City Council. She was appointed to the seat by the local GOP in January 2021 to fill an unexpired term and won election to a new four-year term in November that year.
No Democrats have yet taken out petitions for the office.
Mansfield City Council president
One Republican and one Democrat have taken out petitions for the seat. Neither had filed them as of Friday.
Republican David Falquette is the current council president, appointed by the local party in January 2021 to complete an expired term.
In 2017, Falquette was elected for a four-year year term to represent the 1st Ward. He ran for An-large seat in 2019, losing to Democrat Phil Scott. Falquette was then appointed by Republicans to complete an unexpired At-large seat and then moved to council president to fill a void in 2021.
However, Falquette said Friday he plans to run for an At-large council seat, a slot for which he has also taken out petitions.
Scott, an At-large councilman, served three terms as council president. He was term-limited from seeking a fourth straight term in 2019, prompting his move to an At-large slot.
Mansfield finance director
Two Republicans have taken out petitions, though only one has filed thus far. No Democrats have taken out petitions.
Mark Abrams, the city’s current parks and recreation superintendent, is making his first run for public office and filed his petitions in November. He was the president of AFSCME Local 3088, the union that represents city workers.
Kelly Blankenship seeks a return to the office she held until losing a narrow race to Steward in 2011. She is currently the CEO of Harmony House Homeless Services in Mansfield. Blankenship took out petitions on Sept. 30, but had not filed them as of Friday.
Mansfield law director
Democrat Christopher Brown filed his petitions on Sept. 8. He is the deputy law director for the city and has been the office’s representative at City Council meetings since the pandemic began in 2020.
Democrat Roeliff Harper took out petitions July 19, but has not filed them. A long-time local attorney, Harper mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Richland County Juvenile Court judge in 2019.
Mansfield City Council At-large
Two Republicans have taken out petitions for the seat. Neither has filed them.
One is Falquette. The other is Deborah Mount, leader of the Cherry Hill Neighborhood Watch Group.
However, Mount said Friday she would run for the 6th Ward seat if Falquette files his petitions for an At-large slot. Mount has pulled petitions for the ward seat.
Scott currently holds the seat, though he has not taken out petitions for re-election as of Friday.
Mansfield Municipal Court judge (term beginning Jan. 1, 2024)
One Republican and one Democrat have taken out petitions.
Republican Michael Kemerer has filed his petitions. He is the current first assistant law director for the City of Mansfield.
Democrat Cassandra Mayer took out petitions on Sept. 9, but has not filed them. She is a long-time local attorney.
Mansfield Municipal Court judge (term beginning Jan. 2, 2024)
One Republican and one Democrat have taken out petitions.
Democrat Lore’ Whitney filed her petitions on Jan. 4. A long-time local attorney, she has worked as a magistrate in Mansfield Municipal Court.
Republican David Badnell pulled petitions on July 8, but has not yet filed them. He is a long-term local attorney.
Both of the current Mansfield Municipal Court judges — Jerry Ault and Frank Ardis — are not permitted to seek re-election due to age restrictions in the Ohio Constitution.
Under Article 4 Section 6 of Ohio’s Constitution, a person of age 70 or older is not eligible for election to a judicial office.
Mansfield Municipal Court clerk
Democrat Daniel Smith, the incumbent, filed his petitions for re-election on Dec. 20. The former Richland County treasurer, Smith has been municipal court clerk since 2005.
Republican Jerry Snay, the chief of police in the Village of Mifflin and the law enforcement coordinator/assistant professor at Stark State College in Canton, took out petitions on Aug. 25, but has not filed them.
Mansfield City Council — 2nd Ward
Incumbent Democrat Cheryl Meier took out petitions to seek re-election on Nov. 22. She has not filed them.
No Republican has pulled petitions for the seat.
Mansfield City Council — 4th Ward
Republican Harold Waymans filed his petitions on Dec. 19.
The incumbent, Alomar Davenport, has not pulled petitions yet to seek what would be his second term in office.
Mansfield City Council — 6th Ward
Current officer holder Kimberly Moton, a Democrat, took out petitions on Jan. 4, but has not yet filed them. She was appointed by local Democrats to fill an unexpired term in October of 2020. This is her first campaign for the seat.
Mount, who has also pulled petitions for an At-large seat, took out petitions for the ward seat in October. She has not filed them, ostensibly waiting to see if Falquette runs for president of council or the At-large seat.
