MOUNT VERNON — Mike Vargo spent the summer collecting signatures to get his name placed on the Ohio ballot this fall as an Independent candidate for president of the United States. His name will not be on the ballot due to a “fatal paper error.” However, Vargo can still make a bid for the presidency as a write-in candidate.
Addressing the ruling on the error, Vargo stated, “I almost expected it. It was a mistake and it cost me.”
Vargo’s petition with approximately 6,000 signatures was submitted to Ohio’s Secretary of State’s office minutes before the closing of the Aug. 8 deadline. He was advised that his paperwork was incomplete. In addition to 5,000 valid signatures, he needed to have circulated a joint nominating petition naming his running mate.
Vargo did not realize that requirement when he circulated his petition this summer. He selected Jeff Angeletti of Akron as his running mate just a few weeks before the deadline. Angeletti works for Dominion Resource and is a long-time friend of Vargo.
At the Secretary of State’s office he was advised that a ruling would have to be made to determine if his petition could be certified. Vargo hoped they would rule that he had “done everything in good faith.”
He accepts that his paperwork was not compliant with the candidate requirements, but that won’t stop his campaign. He filed a declaration of intent to be a joint write-in candidate by the Aug. 27 deadline and will continue to reach out to voters to win their votes.
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