SHELBY — Matt Finfgeld proposed a 90-day candidate filing deadline for Shelby candidates back at the end of May.
Finfgeld, director of the Richland County Board of Elections, was joined by Jane Zimmermann, deputy director, and Bill Freytag, board chairman, to speak to Shelby City Council on May 20.
The trio asked councilmembers to consider changing the city’s candidate filing deadline, currently 75 days, to align with the rest of Richland County, which follows a 90-day deadline.
“We’re just asking that (filing deadline) to be consistent and with the rest of the county — to match, so we can get started in that earlier timeframe,” Finfgeld said in May.
More than a month later, Shelby City Council is set to vote Monday evening on legislation to leave that decision in the hands of Shelby voters this November.
If passed Monday, the proposed charter amendment will appear on the upcoming November ballot for Shelby voters to decide for themselves.
Concerns with legality of 75-day filing deadline
If City Council votes down the charter amendment Monday, the Board of Elections would be stuck in “the same position we’ve been in — behind two weeks,” Finfgeld told Richland Source on Friday.
He previously expressed concerns with Shelby’s 75-day filing deadline in regards to a qualified elector’s right to protest a candidacy.
Ohio Revised Code Section 3513.05 gives qualified electors the ability to file a protest against “the candidacy of any person filing a declaration of candidacy for party nomination or for election to an office or position.”
Section 3513.05 also states the protest “shall be filed not later than 4 p.m. of the 74th day before the day of the primary election.”
“We are still asking the (Richland County) prosecutor to look into the legality of it (75-day filing deadline)… because there’s a chance that maybe it is in conflict with (Ohio) Revised Code and the Ohio Constitution,” Finfgeld said Friday.
“But I’m not a lawyer, so we have posed it to the prosecutor. I know they are doing some research on it,” he said.
The Board of Elections director said he’s not sure what else could be said or done to change councilmembers’ minds who have opposed the proposal.
“I really don’t know what else we can say or answer than what we already have… What’s going to happen is going to happen,” Finfgeld said of Monday’s upcoming vote.
‘We’re behind 87 counties in this state’
In 2014, ORC Section 3513.05 was changed — requiring candidates for office to file their petition 90 days prior to an election instead of 75.
However, Section 53 of Shelby’s adopted charter — which became effective Jan. 1, 1922, — still requires a 75-day filing deadline.
Finfgeld explained in May having the same filing schedule countywide would assist pre-election preparations, adding Shelby ballot issues have a 90-day filing deadline.
The 15-day difference could help “immensely” with ensuring ballots are ready for voters, Zimmermann said May 20.
“It is a very intensive process behind the scenes, before we ever send a ballot out,” she said at the end of May. “Just adding another candidate can throw a whole ballot out of whack.”
At-Large Councilman Steven McLaughlin, who’s previously worked as a volunteer for the Board of Elections, urged fellow councilmembers to consider the proposal earlier this month.
“They (BOE) are very, very busy and it would help them if we would be in sync with the rest of the county,” he said June 17.
At City Council’s last meeting, Finfgeld was asked why the Board of Elections wants to see Shelby’s filing deadline extended.
“We would just like it (candidate filing deadline) to follow the Ohio Revised Code and be like the other 87 counties in Ohio,” he said.
“Currently, on the odd-year elections in a primary, we’re behind. We’re behind 87 counties in this state, so we have 15 less days to prepare everything and get it ready for the election,” the director previously said.
Shelby City Council still split on deadline extension
During City Council’s meeting June 17, Finfgeld and Zimmermann began by asking those opposed to the proposition to explain their concerns.
“What’s the reason, for the people that would like to keep the 75-day filing deadline, as opposed to the 90?” Finfgeld asked in June.
Martin, 4th Ward councilman, said he feels extending the filing deadline would create a “natural barrier to people running for office.”
Martin previously expressed concerns during council’s regular session June 3, along with 2nd Ward Councilman Derrin Roberts and Charlie Roub, 1st Ward councilman.
During its most recent meeting, Shelby City Council ultimately voted to send the proposed charter amendment to its final reading Monday — allowing one more chance for discussion.
(Below is all of the legislation Shelby City Council is scheduled to discuss and/or vote on Monday evening.)
