Aber replaces Joseph as Montgomery County Board of Elections deputy director

“I look forward to continuing our mission here to provide safe, secure, accurate, fair, efficient elections,” Aber said.

In Ohio, election boards are managed by members of the two major political parties. The Democratic deputy director will oversee the day-to-day operations of the election board office alongside Director Jeffrey Rezabek, a Republican.

No other personnel changes were enacted on Tuesday.

Aber, of Dayton, has been a Montgomery County Board of Elections employee for 19 years, beginning first as a clerk. He’s since held other titles in the office: processing voter registrations, training poll workers, managing polling locations and leading the Internal Services department.

He expressed gratitude for the work of his staff and the executive team — “without their dedication and hard work and commitment to this board, we would not be as successful as we are here in Montgomery County.”

The four voting members of the board of elections are Democrats Rhine McLin (who serves as board chair) and Mohamed Al-Hamdani, and Republicans Erik Blaine and Thomas A. Routsong.

“He’s been here since he was a teenager and now he’s got a mustache and everything,” Al-Hamdani joked. “He’s got a wealth of knowledge. He knows more than really just about everybody.”

Montgomery County Commissioner Mary McDonald’s candidacy was challenged in 2024, with a Republican voter and Al-Hamdani, who is also chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, claiming McDonald did not follow proper procedure for filing her declaration of intent to run as a Republican.

The Montgomery County Board of Elections declined to suspend or remove Joseph from office following its investigation, but ordered Joseph to complete public records training.