Nov. 4 general election ballot set in Lorain County

The filing deadline for candidates and issues to get on the Nov. 4 ballot came and went at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The 2025 general election is Nov. 4. Barring any changes or challenges, the candidates and issues that made the ballot will be officially certified by the Board of Elections at its Aug. 14 meeting. The filing deadline for write-in candidates is Aug. 25, Elections Director Paul Adams said. CITIES Amherst Republican James P. Lawrence, recently appointed to the post, and Democrat Kelly Miller are facing off for city Treasurer. Lawrence recently was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Richard Ramsey, a fellow Republican. For council at-large, incumbent Republicans Matthew Nahon and Charles S. "Chuck" Winiarski III and Democrat David Janik are running to keep their seats on Council, with Joseph Gambish, a Republican, challenging. Voters will choose three. Running unopposed to retain their seats are incumbents Jennifer Wasilk for Council President and Brenda Phillips for city Auditor. Both are Republicans. All terms are four years. Avon Incumbent Ward 2 Councilman Dennis McBride is facing a challenge from Anne Marie Etienne. Bryan Jensen, the incumbent, is running unopposed for mayor. Incumbent Ward 1 Councilwoman Jennifer Demaline, Ward 3 Councilman Tony Moore and Ward 4 Councilman Scott Radcliffe are running unopposed for reelection. All races are nonpartisan. All terms are four years. Avon Lake Challengers David Glowe Sr., Kayla Goodwin, Matthew Reynolds, Neil Rush and Malachi Witt are in the running for three open, at-large seats on City Council. Councilman Geoff Smith, at-Large, is the lone incumbent running for reelection. Incumbents Zach Arnold and K.C. Zuber are not running for reelection. Candidate Gerald Phillips has withdrawn. Incumbents Nick Mondello and Timothy Rush are running to keep their seats on the Avon Lake Board of Municipal Utilities. All races are nonpartisan. All terms are four years. Elyria There are four at-Large seats to be filled on City Council, and Republican Paul Longo, Independent Clifton Oliver and Democrats Gina Rothgery, Chad Schneider, Phil Tollett and Matt Van Wormer are looking to fill them. Schneider and Tollett are the incumbents. Democrat Maggie Lieux is challenging incumbent Andrew Lipian, an Independent, for his 1st Ward Council seat. Democrat Ed Doehne and Republican Garry Gibbs will vie for the open 3rd Ward Council seat being vacated by incumbent Democrat Mary Siwierka. Incumbent Councilman Brad Armstrong, I-5th Ward, is being challenged by Democrat Kim Black-Brown. Councilwoman Brenda Davis, D-2nd Ward; Councilman Kenny Oswald, D-4th Ward; Councilwoman Donna Mitchell, D-6th Ward; and Councilman Jack Cerra, D-7th Ward, are unopposed for reelection. All terms are two years. Lorain Only one City Council race is up for grabs: The 6th Ward Council seat, where incumbent Angel Arroyo Jr. is facing a challenge from Republican Aaron Knapp. Newcomers who are presumptive winners with no challengers includeAndy Drwal (1st Ward), Eileen Torres (4th Ward), Sabrina Gonzalez (5th Ward) and Jeff Bearer (7th Ward). Unopposed for reelection are Council President Joel Arredondo; Treasurer Teri Soto; Councilman Tony Dimacchia, D-at-Large; Councilwoman Mary Springowski, D-at Large; Councilwoman Victoria Kempton, D-2nd Ward; Councilwoman Pam Carter, D-3rd Ward; and Councilman Josh Thornsberry, D-8th Ward. Democrat Anita Harper is the lone candidate to finish out the unexpired term of City Auditor Joe Koziura, a fellow Democrat who stepped down effective Dec. 31, 2025. All terms are two years except for Treasurer, which is a four-year term. Lorain Municipal Court Incumbent Clerk Ted Kalo, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican Kyriece Brooks for a six-year term. Linda Webber, a Democrat, has no challenger in her bid to replace retiring Judge Mark Mihok. That term also is six years. Oberlin Eight people are running for seven open seats, all two-year terms, on City Council. Incumbents Eboni Johnson, Libni Lopez, Michael McFarlin, Jessa New, Kristin Peterson and Joe Waltzer are running for reelection. Newcomers on the ballot include Sandra Miller and Tyrone Wicks. Incumbent Ray English did not file for reelection. All seats are nonpartisan. Oberlin Municipal Court Democrat Farah Emeka and Republican Richard Ramsey are seeking a six-year term on the bench. The winner will be the lone judge on Oberlin Municipal Court. Judge Thomas Januzzi is retiring and not seeking reelection. Independent candidate Brett Murner dropped out of the race in July. Sheffield Lake Former mayor Dennis Bring and Joseph Heckert are running as write-ins for 1st Ward Councilman, with Jon Paul Morrow the third candidate for that seat. Aden Fogel, Bob Wiggins and Bill Wtulich are running as write-ins for Ward 3 councilman. Wtulich is the incumbent and said in February that he planned to run as a write-in after he didn't file his reelection paperwork in time. Incumbent Ward 4 Councilman Romolo DeBottis is being challenged by Michael McBroom. Incumbent Ward 2 Councilwoman Cindy Petrucci is unopposed. All races are nonpartisan. All seats are four years. Vermilion Russell "Rusty" Owens is the lone candidate for Mayor left on the ballot after Jean Anderson, a former Vermilion mayor, withdrew from the race. The duo were vying to replace incumbent Mayor Jim Forthofer, who did not seek reelection for another four-year term. No one filed to run for the Ward 1 Council seat. Incumbent Ward 4 Councilman Jeff Lucas is unopposed for Council President. Philip Gerald Dombrowski and Homer Taft are running to fill the Ward 4 seat. Alec Bonawit is running unopposed for Ward 5 councilman. Incumbent Councilman Brian Holmes did not file for reelection. Incumbent councilmen Gary Howell Jr. (at-Large) and Drew Werley (3rd Ward) are unopposed to retain their seats. All races are nonpartisan and all terms are two years. Vermilion Municipal Court Attorneys David Berta and Kenneth Lieux are running in the nonpartisan race to replace Judge Zack Dolyk on the bench. Voters will choose one for a six-year term. The court serves the city of Vermilion and Brownhelm Township in Lorain County, and Florence and Vermilion townships in Erie County. VILLAGES Grafton David Botos, Scott Kilgore and former mayor David DiVencenzo and Scott Kilgore are seeking an at-Large Council seat. Incumbent Council President Matt Dukles, who represents Ward 1, is facing a challenge from Kimberly Sue Neubauer and Brian Romes. Incumbent Councilman Tim Strah, at-Large, is seeking the Ward 2 Council seat along with Rodney Campbell, Michael Gumm and James M. Roth. All races are nonpartisan. Voters will choose one candidate each, all for four-year terms. Kipton Karley Cantu, Karol Cornelius, Mitchell Curtiss and John Yankunovich are the four candidates for four seats on Village Council. Cantu, Cornelius and Yakunovich are incumbents. LaGrange Dale Gregory, Christopher Homoelle, Barry Price and Amy Schmitz are the four candidates for four seats on Village Council. Gregory and Price are the incumbents. Rochester With four seats to be filled, incumbent Andy Kurpely is the lone candidate on the ballot for a four-year term on Village Council. No other candidates filed. Sheffield Village Voters will pick four Village Council members from six candidates. Incumbents Stan Bielawski, Matthew Bliss, Dan Forror and Robert Yarber Jr. are running for reelection, with former mayor John Hunter running for a Council seat. Challenger Scott Pederson is the sixth candidate. The race is nonpartisan, with all terms four years. South Amherst Voters will pick four councilpersons from five candidates including Robb Koshco, Mark Leshinski, Jeanne Maschari, Anthony Savage and Becky Siesky. Koscho, Maschari and Siesky are the incumbents. Terms are four years, all nonpartisan. Wellington Incumbent councilmen Gary Feron, Gene Hartman and Keith Rowland are running for reelection. Voters will choose three for three seats, all four-year nonpartisan terms. Incumbent Councilman Stephen Boham and challenger Derek Brasee are running to fill an unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2027. TOWNSHIPS Amherst Township Incumbent Neil Lynch will compete against challengers Andrea Repko and Jeremy Watson for two seats on the board of trustees, which the winners will hold for four years. Brighton Township Incumbent trustees Craig Norton and Steve Urbansky are set to return to the board for four more years, as they are running for two seats with no other opposition. Amy Kiley is running unopposed to complete the current unexpired fiscal officer term which ends March 31, 2028. She is the incumbent because she was appointed to fill the role earlier this year. Brownhelm Township Incumbent trustees Greg Butchko and Thomas Rini will face challenger Mike Talbot in competing for two seats. Camden Township Incumbent trustee James Hozalski is running unopposed to return to the board. Gust Ristas is not running for reelection, so there will be a vacant seat on the board. Carlisle Township Incumbent trustees Berry Taylor and Jim Wright are running unopposed for the same two seats they currently hold. Incumbent Fiscal Officer Joshua Hutchinson will face challenger Leressa Crockett to fill an unexpired term which ends March 31, 2028. Columbia Township A four-way race for two seats on the Board of Trustees will see incumbents Julie Powers and Dave Montante challenged by Scott Bringman and Joseph Borczuch Jr. Eaton Township Incumbents Matt Hignett and Jason Monschein will face newcomer Sabrina Burrington for two seats. Kyle Hawke is running unopposed to finish the unexpired term of Trustee Steve Franks. Elyria Township Four newcomers in Tom Blaz, Jeffrey Bowers, Dave Fenik and Michael Benko Jr. will compete for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Trustees William Holtzman and Tim Vandyke are not running for reelection. Grafton Township Incumbent trustees Christie Homer-Miller and Carl Wesemeyer are running for reelection to their seats. Henrietta Township Incumbents Ronald Baumann and Joseph Knoble are running to keep their seats on the Board of Trustees. Huntington Township Jed Lamb, Christine Novak and Walter Rollin are running for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Lamb and Rollin are incumbents. LaGrange Township Rita Canfield, Michael Foreman and Kelly West are running for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Canfield is the lone incumbent. New Russia Township Patti Brubaker, Cynthia Drozdowski-Breda and Scott Justin are running for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Brubaker and Justin are incumbents. Penfield Township Richard Conrad, Michael Inman, Don Jackson and Tim Misconish are running for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Conrad is the lone incumbent. Pittsfield Township William Forthofer and Mark McConnell both are running for township trustee, with two seats open. McConnell is the only incumbent. Becky McDonnell is running to fill an unexpired term on the Board of Trustees ending Dec. 31, 2027. Rochester Township Gary Landis and Adam Mourton are running for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Both are incumbents. Sheffield Township Hartford Hall II, John L. Meade, Chad Parsons and Dale Suppa are running for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Parsons is the only incumbent. Wellington Township Incumbent township trustees David Fisher and Fred Pitts are running for reelection for two open seats, each four-year terms. SCHOOL BOARDS Amherst School Board Incumbent board members Teresa Gilles and Amanda Messer are seeking reelection. Morgan Wachholz did not seek reelection. Newcomers looking to fill the three seats up for grabs are Holly Koepp and Valerie Keidert. The top three vote getters will serve on the board for a four-year term. Avon School Board Incumbent members Alissa Gault, Tara Tatman and John Weigman are seeking reelection. They face challengers Kate Perhay and Brett Yacovella. The top three vote-getters will serve on the board for a four-year term. Avon Lake School Board Incumbent School Board members Jenefer Machovina and Michael Sherban will seek reelection to another four-year term. Clearview School Board Incumbent Marianne Love will seek reelection to the Clearview School Board. She was appointed to fill the unexpired term left vacant by Michael Mielcarek, who stepped down in March. Jessica Garcia and Candace Guerra also filed. All three will be on the Board of Education if they are certified to the November ballot. Columbia School Board Wayne Brassell, Megan Champagne and Blanche Nemeth, all incumbents on the Columbia School Board filed to keep their seats for another four-year term. All three will remain on the board if they are certified to the November ballot. Elyria School Board Len Howser and Annie Carstarphen Cheeseboro, both incumbents on the Elyria School Board, filed to keep their seats for another four-year term. Both will remain on the board if they are certified to the November ballot. Firelands School Board Incumbent School Board member Ellen Gundersen filed to keep her seat on Firelands School Board. She, alongside newcomers Keli Klingshirn and William Schlechter will serve four-year terms as long as they are certified to the November ballot. Keystone School Board Incumbent board member Andrew Hoops filed to serve another four-year term. He faces challengers Amanda Accavallo, William Andrew Robson and Bryan Solomon. The top three vote-getters in November will serve on the board. Lorain School Board Two incumbents seek reelection to Lorain School Board against four newcomers. Longtime board member Bill Sturgill and Jay Ferguson seek reelection to the three open seats; incumbent board member Barbie Washington did not seek reelection. Of the four newcomers to throw their hats into the ring, one name may be familiar to Lorain residents. Mark Ballard II, the son of current Board of Education member Mark Ballard, filed to serve alongside his father. Paul Nick, executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission, said the law does not prohibit both men from serving on the same board if Ballard II were to win election in November. Davon Marie Jeffers, Diamaris Rosario and Charmaine Williams also filed for the open seats. The top three vote-getters will take office in January. Midview School Board Incumbent board members Kathy Quintiliano, Thomas Tomasheski and Janet Winslow are all seeking reelection to another four-year term. All three will remain on the board if they are certified to the November ballot. North Ridgeville School Board Incumbent board members Jeff Grigsby, Kelly McCarthy and Marci Saxon filed to keep their seats for another four-year term. They face challenger Andrew Wampleman. The top three vote-getters in November will serve on the board. Oberlin School Board Incumbent School Board members Rosa Gadsden and JoAnne Steggall filed for reelection to another four-year term. They face challengers Sarah Reimer Dawson, Melissa George and John LePelley. The top three vote-getters in November will serve on the board.Incumbent Charlita Anderson-White filed to fill an unexpired term ending in 2027. She will keep her seat as long as she is certified to the ballot. Sheffield-Sheffield Lake School Board There are no incumbents running for Sheffield-Sheffield Lake School Board as Sheila Lopez and Lisa Miller are not seeking reelection. Four people filed to fill their two open seats: Kreig Brusnahan, Isha Cathey, Carol Correthers and Jack Petrucci. The top two vote-getters in November will serve the four-year terms. Wellington School Board Incumbent members Jennifer Kazmierczak, Philip Mohrman and Ayers Ratliff filed to keep their seats on the board. They face challenger Dan Strait. The top three vote-getters in November will serve the four-year term. Four people filed to fill two unexpired terms that end in 2027. Incumbent Patricia Shellhouse and former superintendent Edward Weber filed to fill the seat alongside challengers David Brattoli and Mohammad Mike Ebeid. The top two vote-getters will fill the two-year term. Black River School BoardIncumbent Black River School Board member Daniel Sexton and newcomer Jeremy Holly filed to serve on the board for an upcoming four-year term. Both will take seats if they are certified to the November ballot. Vermilion School Board Incumbent member Sara Stepp filed for reelection to another four-year term. ISSUES The following issues will be numbered by the Board of Elections at its meeting Aug. 14. - Lorain County is asking voters to approve a 0.25-percent sales tax increase to fund criminal justice services at the Lorain County Sheriff's Office for a continuing period of time. - Amherst precinct 3-A: Sunday sales, three questions which were not specified on the Board of Elections issues list published Wednesday. - Avon precinct 2-A:Sunday sales question for Hecks of Avon, Inc. dba Hecks - Avon precinct 2-A: Sunday sales question for Topgolf USA AV, dba Topgolf - Elyria precinct 2-D: Sunday sales question for Nirvana Grocers LLC - Lorain precinct 2-A: Sunday sales question for the Lorain Port Authority - Lorain precinct 2-E: Sunday sales question for Freighters on the River LLC, dba Trent's Joint on the River - Lorain precinct 2-E: Sunday sales question for Lorain Harbor Boat Club - Lorain precinct 8-B: Sunday sales question for Matthew 6:25 Corporation, dba Lorain Grocery Outlet - North Ridgeville City: An income tax increase from 1 percent to 1.75 percent to fund general municipal operations - Oberlin Ward 6: Sunday sales question for MTY Restaurants LLC dba Wood Fired Wonders - Oberlin: A Continuing renewal levy of 3.25 mills to fund current expenses of the library - Oberlin: Renewal levy of 1.2 mills for five years to fund current expenses - Oberlin: Renewal levy of 3 mills for five years to fund garbage collection and disposal - Carlisle Township: Replacement levy of 2.25 mills for five years to fund fire and EMS - Columbia Township: Replacement levy with an increase 1+1=2 mills for five years to fund streets, roads and bridges - Wellington Township: Replacement levy of 0.3 mill for five years to fund the Spirit of '76 Museum - Amherst schools: To implement an income tax of 1.5 percent for five years to fund current expenses - Elyria schools: Additional levy of 4.9 mills for 10 years to fund emergency requirements - Erie County General Health District: Renewal levy of 0.5 mill for five years to fund the health program - Central Lorain County Joint Ambulance District: Replacement levy with a decrease 2.06-0.31=1.75 mills for three years to fund current expenses for ambulance and EMS services - Grafton/Midview Public Library: A continuing replacement levy with an increase 1.25+.25=1.5 mills to fund current expenses - Lorain schools: A continuing renewal levy of 23.85 mills to fund current expenses - Lorain schools: Renewal levy of 3.22 mills for 10 years to fund emergency requirements - Oberlin schools: Renewal levy of 2.72 mills for 10 years to fund emergency requirements - Oberlin schools: Renewal levy of 2 mills for five years to fund permanent improvements - Vermilion schools: A construction bond of 4.08 mills for 30 yearsContact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.