Highland County will see contested primaries in commissioners race, other offices

Four individuals have taken out petitions for two open seats on the Highland County Board of Commissioners, with the potential for contested primaries in both races.

Incumbents Tom Horst and Shane Wilkin, both Republicans, are seeking re-election. Horst filed his petitions this week, and Wilkin said that he intends to file soon.

New Market resident Steve Cowdrey (R) has taken out petitions to run against Wilkin. Cowdrey said that he is still collecting signatures, and intends to file soon.

New Vienna area resident Fred Boggess (R) has also taken out petitions to run. 

Steve Witham, of the Highland County Board of Elections, told The Highland County Press last week that a representative from the Highland County Republican Party had picked up petitions for each county race that will appear on the ballot in 2012. 

In other contested races, Chad McConnaughey has filed petitions to run for Highland County Recorder against incumbent Richard Counter. Counter was appointed to the office by the Republican Central Committee earlier this year after former recorder Ike Hodson was appointed as Highland County Clerk of Courts. The clerk of courts office had been left open following the retirement of Paulette Donley. Hodson, according to Witham, has filed to run for clerk of courts. 

Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, who was appointed by the central committee earlier this year to replace Jim Grandey as prosecutor, has also filed her petitions. 

Debbie Zile has filed to run against Vickie Warnock for the office of Highland County Treasurer. Warnock has filed her petitions. 
 

Incumbent Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward filed his petition on Tuesday.
 

Ohio could potentially have two primaries in 2012, with state and local candidates and the U.S. Senate race being decided in March, and the presidential primary and U.S. House of Representatives being decided on June 12. The filing deadline for partisan candidates for the March 6 primary is Dec. 7. The deadline for Independent candidates is March 5. 

According to Witham, local and state ballot issues can appear on the ballot in either primary, depending on when the state or municipality would like for it to run. 

The following is a breakdown from the Highland County Board of Elections website of what will appear on the March 6 and June 12 ballots, respectively.

March 6, 2012 Primary Offices on the ballot:

Federal Offices:

• Member of the United States Senate

State Offices:

• Member of the Ohio General Assembly (Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate)

County Offices:

• County Commissioner (2 Seats Up)

• County Coroner

• County Engineer

• County Prosecutor

• County Recorder

• County Sheriff

• County Treasurer

• Clerk of Courts

Judicial Offices: Supreme Court Justice, Court of Appeals Judge

Other Offices:

• State Central Committee Member for major political party

• County Central Committee Member for major political party

June 12, 2012 Primary Offices on the Ballot:
 

• Party presidential candidate

• Member of the United States House of Representatives