Council, school boards and trustees on Nov. 2 ballot

Nominating petitions have been verified and the Lawrence County Board of Elections has released the list of candidates who will appear on the Nov. 2 ballot.

This year’s races are nonpartisan and local, with city and village councils, township trustees and school boards on the ballot.

The deadline for voter registration for this year’s election is Oct. 4 and absentee and in-office voting will begin on Oct. 5, Jeri Holzhauser, deputy director with the board office, said.

Many of the races this year are uncontested, with only enough candidates filed for the seats available, but most will be contested.

In a few, there were less candidates filed than the number of seats up for election, in which case, the board or councils will vote to any vacant remaining positions after election.

-Township trustees-
In township trustees, two seats will be on the ballot in each race, with one exception, in Washington Township, where Douglas Dickens will be on the ballot for an unexpired term in addition to the two seats.

In Aid, Decatur, Hamilton, Mason, Symmes, Union and Washington townships, the races will be uncontested, with no more running than seats that are up.

Competitive races include:

Elizabeth Township: Ricky Cox, Sadie Sparks, Kevin Wilds and George Mullins are vying for two seats. Fiscal officer Kathy Bamer is also running unopposed for an unexpired term.

Fayette Township: Mike Finley, Mike Jones and Tim McMaster are vying for two seats.

Lawrence Township: Brent Dickess, Larry Pernestti and Mark Harper are vying for two seats.

Perry Township: Barry Blankenship, George Derek Rowe, William Nance, Scott M. Black, Teresa Waller Lawless and Ron Meadows are vying for two seats.

Rome Township: Mark Bailey, Brian Pinkerman and Chancie Love are vying for two seats.

Upper Township: Randall E. Wise, Michael McDaniels, Tony Sites, Ralph Waller and David Rowe are vying for two seats.

Windsor Township: Robert E. Burcham, Larry Delawder, Norman R. Humphrey II and Nick Catalonga are vying for two seats.

-City and village council races-
In the city of Ironton, Nate Kline, Bob Cleary, Chris Perry, Craig Harvey, Yvonne DeKay Sinnott and Julie Diane Pate are vying for four seats.

In the villages of Hanging Rock, Proctorville and South Point, races will be uncontested.

And, in the case Proctorville, four seats are on the ballot and only three candidates filed.

In South Point, four seats are on the ballot and four incumbents filed, but Eric Rawlins, who was appointed last year to fill the term of the resigning Chris Smith, did not qualify for the ballot, meaning there will be one vacancy after the election for the council to fill.

In Hanging Rock, four seats are on the ballot, but only two candidates filed.

Athalia: Jason A. Chapman, Meredith Hope Johnson, Alexandra Swiger, Gary A. Simpson, E. Denise Breen, Eric JL Webb, Joe A. Webb and Roger Camp are vying for four seats. Jessica Burd withdrew her candidacy.

Chesapeake: Jacob Wells, Drew Griffin, Lisa Blake, Nathan Ittig and Brandon Mann are vying for four seats.

Coal Grove: Andy Holmes, Bill Moore, Gregory Massie, Jay Sherman, Kimberly McKnight, Frederick Phillip Roush and David Bush are vying for four seats.

-School boards-
The races for Dawson-Bryant and Fairland school boards, as well as the Lawrence County ESC are uncontested this year.
Chesapeake: Nate Adkins, Bobby Hamlin, Ron Saunders and Jeanne T. Harmon are vying for two seats. Kyle Webb is on the ballot, unopposed, for an unexpired term.

Ironton: Kevin Hacker, Rae Ann Witt and Ralph Huff are vying for two seats.

Rock Hill: Dennis Hankins, Phillip Bailey, Keith Harper and Kimberly Prince Clark are vying for two seats.

South Point: Josh Parker, Tifanie Arbogast and Austin Johnson are vying for two seats.

Symmes Valley: Uriah Cade, Tammie L. Myers, Derek L. Wilson, Josh Saunders and Steven D. Brown are vying for three seats.

-Ballot issues-
Proctorville: Voters will decide whether to renew 2.5-mill general expenses levy and a 1.5-mill fire protection levy.

Rome Township: Voters will decide whether to renew a 1-mill fire protection levy.

Upper Township: Voters will decide whether to renew a 1-mill fire protection levy.

Fayette Township: Voters will decide whether to renew a 2-mill fire protection levy.

Chesapeake: Voters will decide whether to renew a 1.5-mill police tax levy.

Perry Township: Voters will decide on a 1-mill fire protection levy, which is a replacement.

Countywide: Voters will decide whether to renew a .5-mill improvements and renovations levy for Lawrence County JVSD (Collins Career Technical Center).

Alcohol sales: A local option, including Sunday sales, will appear on the ballot for the Weymouth Hill event venue.

For more information on the fall 2021 general election, visit the board of elections website at www.boe.ohio.gov/lawrence.