Local candidates, issues set for May primary ballot in Lorain County

The deadline to file to run for partisan elected office, or to have a levy or other issue on the May 5 primary election ballot, in Lorain County came and went Wednesday. There were some newcomers along with many familiar names in local races, state House and Senate races and a handful of judicial seats. Property tax renewals are going to the ballot with it still uncertain whether Ohioans will decide to eliminate property taxes as a revenue stream in the near future. The Lorain County Board of Elections will meet Feb. 12 to certify candidate petitions and assign numbers to the issues. Lorain County Democratic Party Chairwoman Sharon Sweda said she was excited for the primary season to begin. "I am thrilled to have such an incredible slate of candidates who have filed," she said Wednesday. "Democrats will have a great selection of qualified and dedicated individuals to choose from. The team we are fielding offers voters candidates in every seat who will fight on behalf of them and the preservation of our rights and freedoms." The Lorain County Republican Party highlighted its slate of candidates at a public event at its headquarters on Monday. Success in the primary "depends if our voter base comes out," county GOP Chairman Bob Meilander said Wednesday. "I think I have some great candidates, and that's all we can do. We got great candidates to run for these spots and it's going to be a long campaign season." Ohio voters also will choose a new governor, attorney general, state auditor, secretary of state and treasurer along with two state Supreme Court justices. There is also an election for U.S. senator in 2026. Ohio 5th Congressional District Five Democrats are seeking their party's nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, whose district stretches from Lorain County to the Indiana state line. Democrats running for the office are Charles Brown of Elyria, Martin Heberling III of Amherst, Scott Tabor of Columbia Township, Daniel John Burket of Findlay in Hancock County and Brian Shaver of Fostoria, which is in Hancock, Seneca and Wood counties. Heberling is a Lorain Schools teacher and former member of Amherst City Council who also ran for Congress in 2022. Both he and Brown also ran for county commissioner. Tabor is a sheet metal worker, Shaver is president of Fostoria City Council and Burket is a small-business owner. Latta is facing a primary challenge from Robert Owsiak Jr. of Sheffield Lake. Latta previously beat Owsiak in the 2024 Republican primary. 13th State Senate district State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, will face Rep. Gayle Manning, R-Avon, in November. Gayle Manning is looking to succeed her son, Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, who currently holds the seat. Gayle Manning previously served in the state senate from 2011 to 2018. 52nd Ohio House District Democrats Mike Baker and Graig Bansek, both of Elyria, are seeking the seat in the state House of Representatives. One of them will face Nathan Manning in November. He has no primary challenger in his attempt to switch seats with his mother. 53rd Ohio House District Democrat Matt Lundy of Avon Lake, a former state representative and Lorain County commissioner, and former Lorain City Councilman Dan Nutt will face off in the primary. Republican Brad Lacko of Amherst has no primary challenger. 54th Ohio House District Democrat Brenda Buchanan of Columbia Township is challenging incumbent Republican state Rep. Kellie Deeter, R-Norwalk, in November. Lorain County Commissioner Democrats Brian Baker of Brownhelm Township and Carolyn White of Sheffield, both of whom have run for the job before, are primary opponents seeking the seat currently occupied by Comissioner Jeff Riddell. A Republican, Riddell has a primary challenger from William Schlechter of Oberlin. Lorain County Auditor Incumbent Craig Snodgrass, a Democrat, is being challenged by Elaine Seguin, a Republican small business owner from Elyria who currently is president of the Elyria Board of Education. 9th District Court of Appeals Incumbent Judge Betty Sutton, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Cynthia Curtin, a Republican from Hudson. That appeals court district includes Lorain, Medina, Summit and Wayne counties. Lorain County Probate Judge Jim Walther, a Democrat, is unopposed for reelection to a six-year term. Central committee candidates included Carl Fryman II, a Libertarian for the Ohio 5th Congressional District. Raul Ramos is the lone Democratic male 13th state Senate District candidate for central committee, while Gina Rothgery and Lili Sandler are the female candidates from the Democrats. Peter Aldrich and Mike Witte are the male candidates for Republican state central committee in the 13th Senate District, and Jean Anderson and Kirsten Hill the female candidates. Issues Amherst Schools is seeking a 0.75 percent income tax for five years for current expenses. Amherst Township is asking voters to renew a five-year, 1-mill street, road and bridge levy. Avon Lake Schools has a five-year, 1.5-mill permanent improvement levy on the ballot. A five-year, 2.8-mill levy for current expenses for the Avon Lake Public Library is on the ballot. Lorain Schools is asking voters to approve an 11-mill levy for current expenses for a continuing amount of time. The Lorain Public Library Domonkas branch is seeking additional money: A five-year, 2.2 mill levy for current expenses. The Oberlin Public Library, whose levy win in November was not certified due to an error by the Board of Elections, is seeking a 3.25-mill renewal for a continuing amount of time for current expenses. The South Lorain County Ambulance District wants an additional 2.75 mills for five years for ambulance and EMS services. Some Columbia Township residents live and vote in the Strongsville City School District in Cuyahoga County, where officials are asking for a 3.43 mill bond issue for 36 years for construction purposes. Lorain County has placed an additional 0.85-mill, five-year levy on the ballot to benefit the Murray Ridge Center/county Board of Developmental Disabilities. Avon Lake wants to increase city income tax to 1.9 percent for five years with 65 percent of revenue going to road maintenance and the rest for infrastructure, equipment and capital-related debt. Lorain is asking voters to renew a 1.7-mill levy for the city Fire Department maintenance and service for five years. Sheffield Township has five levies on the ballot, including four renewals and an additional, all for five years. They are a 0.35-mill renewal for current expenses; a 2.25-mill renewal for fire and EMS; a 2.5-mill renewal for EMS; a 3-mill renewal for fire and EMS, and an additional 3.5 mills for fire and EMS. Camden Township has two levies, a 2-mill renewal for fire and EMS and a 1.5-mill renewal for road improvements, both for five years. Carlisle Township wants a 0.75-mill renewal for road improvements, also for five years. Columbia Township is seeking a 1-mill, five-year street, road and bridge levy renewal with a 0.5-mill increase. Local liquor options for Sunday sales include Amherst City 3-A for Drunken Sailor LLC; Elyria City 1-B for Columbian Club of Elyria 0774; Grafton village wards 1 and 2 for CC Saloon LLC; and for both Sunday and weekday sales for ThiNi Thai on South Main Street in Oberlin's Ward 6. Carolyn White's place of residence has been corrected in this story. She lives in Sheffield. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.