Stage set for primary elections in Lorain County

SHEFFIELD TWP. — The deadline passed Wednesday afternoon for candidates to file for Lorain County's May 4 primary election, setting the stage for a number of local races. Multiple cities, townships, schools and libraries also will have issues on the ballot. Just one Lorain County mayoral seat is up for grabs this year — in Vermilion — but six cities will have City Council elections in 2021. "In an odd-numbered year, when you are dealing with municipal elections such as this one, the only way that a primary election happens is if one is created because there are more candidates running than there are positions," said Paul Adams, director of the Lorain County Board of Elections. Candidates in uncontested races, or those facing fewer than a designated number of opponents based on municipal charter rules, are automatically certified to the November general election. The system is set up this way as a cost-saving measure. "In those communities, if you just have one person running for each position, if you did hold an election that local municipality would be responsible to pay to open the polls," Adams said. In Vermilion, the top two vote-getters of the three mayoral candidates will advance from the nonpartisan primary to face off in November's general election. Incumbent Mayor Jim Forthofer said Wednesday he is seeking reelection so he can continue work he has started, including diversifying Vermilion's tax base. That means keeping downtown full while expanding business on the city's east side, a goal Forthofer said has been coming to fruition through companies such as Defense Soap, George's Roofing Inc. and Vintage Lighting & Supply. "The buzz is starting to roll about Vermilion," he said. Candidate Dan Roth, an entrepreneur and former Vermilion councilman who was Council president from 1998 to 2005, said he would bring his creative approach to problem-solving to the mayor's office. Roth, owner of Coal and Ice Station and several other businesses in the city through the years, is running on the motto, "Creating the future while preserving the past." He said his vision of preserving the past includes making efforts to save the Wakefield (Harbor View) mansion, which is currently slated for demolition in connection with a Main Street revitalization project. Roth acknowledged it may not be possible at this point, but preserving the mansion "certainly warrants every effort." A third Vermilion mayoral candidate, Jerry Kyle, could not immediately be reached by phone or email Wednesday evening. He wrote in a social media post that if elected, he would use his "hardworking & hands-on approach to address current issues, attract & develop business, while keeping Vermilion a safe & beautiful place to live." In Amherst, changes appear to be coming for City Council after multiple incumbent members did not file to seek reelection. Phil Van Treuren, R-at large, and Matthew Nahorn, R-4th Ward, had not filed as candidates at the deadline, Board of Elections documents show. Multiple contested Amherst Council races will be decided in November. In Avon Lake, four candidates — Zachary Arnold, Michelle Connors, Martin O'Donnell and K.C. Zuber — will vie for three at-large seats in November. Councilman Mark Spaetzel, 3rd Ward, will face off against challenger Deanna Leitner, who filed Wednesday. Avon Lake Councilwoman Billie Jo David, 1st Ward, did not draw a challenger. Sheffield Lake did not draw more than two candidates for any of its Council seats up for election, so per the city charter, there will be no contested primaries and the seats will be decided in November. In North Ridgeville's council-at-large race, the top three Republican and Democratic vote-getters all advance to the general election. There are three at-large Council seats in the city, and all are up for grabs in 2021. This means there will be no need for a Democratic primary for at-large City Council members because just three Democratic candidates filed: Paul Wolanski, John McNulty and John Gassman Jr. Those three Democrats will compete in November against the top three vote-getters among the seven Republicans vying for the at-large seats in the primary: Steve Ali, Georgia Awig, Bob Chapek, Martin DeVries, Christina Doran, Jason Jacobs and James Maleski. North Ridgeville's three at-large Council seats are currently occupied by DeVries, Jacobs and Maleski. The following issues will appear on primary ballots, according to the uncertified issues list from the Lorain County Board of Elections as it appeared Wednesday: Avon Lake: five-year renewal of 2.0-mill ambulance and EMS levy. Avon Lake Public Library: five-year renewal of 2.8-mill current expenses levy. Central Lorain County Ambulance District: three-year renewal of 1.15-mill ambulance and emergency medical service levy. Lorain: five-year renewal of 1.7-mill Fire Department levy. Lorain Public Library: five-year renewal of 5.95-mill current expenses levy. Oberlin: five-year renewal of 1.2-mill current expenses levy. Oberlin: five-year renewal 3.0-mill garbage collection and disposal levy. Oberlin Public Library: five-year renewal of 3.25-mill current expenses levy. Sheffield Lake: five-year renewal of Domonkas Library 2.95-mill current expenses levy. Sheffield Lake: City Charter Amendment Article VII, Section 1(a) Voting Status. Sheffield Lake: City Charter Amendment Article VII, Section 2(a) Voting Status. Sheffield Lake: City Charter Amendment Article VII, Section 3(a) Voting Status. Amherst Township Road District: five-year renewal of 1.0-mill streets, roads and bridges levy. Brighton Township: five-year renewal of 1.0-mill road improvement levy. Camden Township: five-year renewal and increase, 2.0-mill fire and EMS levy. Camden Township: five-year renewal and decrease, 1.5-mill road improvement levy. Columbia Township: five-year renewal and increase, 1.3-mill road improvement levy. Sheffield Township: five-year renewal of 2.25-mill fire and EMS levy. Sheffield Township: five-year renewal of 2.5-mill EMS levy. Sheffield Township: five-year renewal of 0.35-mill current expenses levy. Sheffield Township: five-year additional 3.0-mill fire and EMS levy. Clearview School District: 10-year renewal of 2.86-mill emergency requirements levy. Southern Lorain County Ambulance District: five-year renewal of 3.25-mill ambulance and emergency medical services levy. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.