MOUNT VERNON — The main focus of the upcoming March 4 elections in Ohio has been the presidential primaries for Democrats and Republicans. However, there are several other local offices and issues on the ballot that Knox County voters will discover when they head to the polls early next month.
Registered Republican voters will be voting in the primary for State Representative for the 90th District. The race is between Margaret Ann Ruhl and Tom Whiston, while Democrat Duane Grassbaugh is heading into the primary unopposed.
Two county commissioner seats are also up for grabs in November, and incumbent Tom McLarnan will be facing Teresa Bemiller and Tim Smith in the Republican primary. The primary on the Democrat’s side is a matchup between John Booth and Paul Harris. For the other position of county commissioner, Allen Stockberger will be running unopposed in the Republican primary, while Democrats Serita Harris and Earl Justice will face each other in their party’s primary.
For the position of county coroner, incumbent Jeffery Bowers will be facing Jennifer Ogle in the Republican primary, and one of them will run unopposed in the November elections. Democrat Lea Gallogly is running opposed for the position of county recorder in the Democratic primary, and incumbent John Lybarger is also running unopposed in the Republican primary. Gallogly and Lybarger will face each other in November.
An issue that will be on every ballot countywide will be the proposed levy for the Knox County MRDD. Some other tax levies that will be on ballots in other specific areas of the county are: a tax levy for the Centerburg Local School District, a tax levy for the East Knox Local School District and a tax levy for Milford Township.
Numerous county officials are running for re-election unopposed. Included are: Jim Henry, engineer; John Thatcher, prosecutor; Dave Barber, sheriff; Sandra Mizer, treasurer; Mary Jo Hawkins, clerk of courts; and James Ronk, judge, Court of Common Pleas, Probate-Juvenile Division.
