6 now want on county commission

 

Another Republican has potentially joined the race for a spot on the Lawrence County Commission.

Last week Chesapeake area resident Wes Sites picked up a petition to run for the seat now held by Bill Pratt. Sites is an employee at the Necco Center.

The 2016 election would be Pratt’s second commission race. The Chesapeake dairy farmer was appointed to commission in April of 2011 following the election of then commissioner Jason Stephens to county auditor.

Besides Pratt and Sites, the only other Republican to pick up a petition is former Ironton teacher and coach Charles Kitchen.

On the Democratic side, the March primary could be a three-way contest. Right now former county commissioner Doug Malone, Elizabeth Township Trustee Ron Davis and businessman and former director of Ironton aLive Jon Ferguson have picked up petitions.

The other commission seat that will be open in 2016 is held now by president Les Boggs, who is trying for this third term. So far Boggs is the only one to pick up a petition.

Other county offices on the 2016 election are county treasurer, sheriff and clerk of courts. The incumbents in all three of these seats — Stephen Burcham, Jeff Lawless and Mike Patterson — have picked up petitions. So far the only contested race could be for sheriff. Noah Simpkins, a Chesapeake police officer, picked up a petition on the Republican side.

Candidates for the 2016 primary have until Dec. 9 to get on the March 8 ballot.

Eight have picked up petitions to run for Ironton City Mayor in this November election as current mayor Rich Blankenship is term-limited. They are Katrina Keith, benefits specialist for the city of Ironton; former Ironton Mayor Jim Tordiff; former Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary; David Bush, Donald Roberts, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office detective Aaron Bollinger; John David Willis and former deputy director of STAR Community Justice Center Joshua Saunders.

The other Ironton election is for the city school board of education. So far current member Tim Johnson and Father David Huffman of the Ironton Catholic Community have picked up petitions.

Those wanting to be on the 2015 general election ballot have until Aug. 5 to file their petitions.