UPDATED: Harsha, Barreras, Randolph unofficial winners of May 2 primary

Hillsboro Mayor and local business owner Justin Harsha unofficially won his primary bid for reelection Tuesday, May 2, as he is seeking a second term in office. Of the three other city positions — all of which involved individuals appointed to their respective offices — two of the three seated individuals unofficially won their primaries.

Judge William (Chad) Randolph and Law Director Randalyn Worley (unopposed) won their primary races, while City Auditor and former Hillsboro City Council member Patty Day unofficially lost.

Of 750 registered Republican voters, 595 ballots were cast in the city partisan primary races, marking a voter turnout of 79.3 percent. However, the City of Hillsboro also had an electric aggregation question on the ballot (which unofficially passed), for which turnout was only 15.6 percent.

Turnout for the Hillsboro Municipal Court race was 32.7 percent. Voters in Greenfield (3.03 percent turnout) and the Paint Southwest precinct (6.3 percent turnout) also considered local questions. Overall, the countywide turnout was 6.97 percent.

Harsha, who was opposed by local business owner Herb Day, unofficially won with 65.6 percent of the vote.

Prior to being elected mayor in November 2019, Harsha served six years as a member of Hillsboro City Council.

Harsha is also the sixth generation to own his family’s business, Harsha Monument Company, in Hillsboro. Harsha is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and holds an associate’s degree in audio/video engineering from the International College of Broadcasting.

Harsha has been involved in several area organizations, including the Hillsboro Cemetery Association, the Festival of the Bells committee and the Highland County Historical Society Board of Trustees, including serving as acting manager of the Scott House on behalf of the society.

William (Chad) Randolph looks to retain his seat as Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge, as he unofficially defeated challenger Kathryn Hapner with 66.5 percent of the vote.

In March 2022, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed Randolph as Municipal Court judge, following the retirement of former Judge David McKenna. Randolph is a Highland County native and a graduate of Lynchburg-Clay High School, Wilmington College and the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Prior to being appointed judge, Randolph worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Highland and Clinton counties, including 26 years in Clinton County. He also served as Legal Services director for the Clinton County Department of Job and Family Services; president of the Clinton County Bar Association; and counsel for the Highland County Water Company.

Randolph told The Highland County Press that he feels “good” and “energized” about the win.

“I feel thankful to the community,” Randolph said. “I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, which is using common sense and making judgments that aren’t questionable, that are clear and certain.

“I want to thank my wife, especially. She has been a rock through all of this and has been the steady hand, as well as my committee with Tom Horst and Brittany Couser. My father-in-law, Donnie Barrera, and his wife, Jacquie, have a lot of knowledge and are a constant source of information and advice that was very, very helpful throughout this.

“I’m energized to keep the oath that I’ve taken, and again, this is a small dot on the map, but in that little dot, the world is going to make sense,” Randolph added.

Republican challenger Dawson Barreras has unofficially defeated central committee appointee Patty Day in the Hillsboro city auditor’s race. Day was appointed to the position in November 2022, following the resignation of Highland County Auditor-elect Alex Butler. She had been a member of Hillsboro city council at the time of her appointment.

Barreras served a short stint as Hillsboro city treasurer, following the resignation of former treasurer Steve Conrad. Harsha appointed Barreras as treasurer March 9, and he served in that role until the Republican central committee appointed Debbie Sansone April 24. During Barreras’ brief tenure, he attended and participated in several city council meetings and other committee meetings.

Barreras, a lifelong Hillsboro resident, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School. He told The Highland County Press that his platform included a focus on transparency and open communication, as well as a commitment to working with city departments to identify opportunities for cost savings and improved financial management.

Barreras told The Highland County Press he is “absolutely honored."

“I’d like to thank the community for voting for me,” Barreras said. “It was definitely some overwhelming support I didn’t really expect to have, and I’m definitely proud to be a part of the city. I’ve lived here my whole life, my family has lived here their whole life, and I’m ready to be a part of making the city grow.

“The city made their voices heard on who they want to be in office and how things are going, and I’m definitely proud to have the city’s vote.”

Barreras also thanked his family for their support throughout his primary campaign.

“I definitely want to thank my wife, Jessica,” Barreras said. “She’s been super supportive and made sacrifices with me out campaigning, and I’d also like to thank our two little kids, Silas and Ava.”

The only Republican candidate unopposed this May was Hillsboro Law Director Randalyn Worley, who replaced Fred Beery upon his resignation in February 2022.

Worley was admitted to the bar in Ohio in 2009. Originally from Ironton, she received her Juris Doctor from Phoenix School of Law in Arizona and a bachelor of arts from The Ohio State University.

Prior to being appointed city law director, Worley worked as assistant prosecuting attorney in Adams County.

Also considered by several voters were three separate ballot questions and issues, in Hillsboro, Greenfield and Paint Township, respectively.

The City of Hillsboro question was for a proposed ordinance for retail electricity aggregation. The question unofficially passed by a 314-280 margin.

Similarly, voters in the Village of Greenfield considered an issue for a proposed ordinance for retail natural gas aggregation. The question unofficially passed, 53-17.

Only one precinct — Paint Township Southwest — considered a local liquor option petition. The question was regarding whether “intoxicating liquor” can be “permitted … on the premises where sold, on Sunday, at licensed premises where the sale of food and other goods and services exceeds 50 percent of the total gross receipts of the permit holder at the premises.” The issue unofficially passed, 44-31.