“That seems to be the trend in a lot of my other counties,” Henning said. “There was a lot of interest in running for office.”
Four people have filed as write-in candidates in Greene County with the deadline three weeks away and four others have been validated in Miami County, officials said. Warren County did not have any.
Aside from the Dayton school board, Montgomery County has three write-ins for West Carrollton school board and two seeking city council seats there. The Jefferson Twp. school board also has a pair, records show
Other write-in candidates approved by the Montgomery County Board of Elections this week are seeking office in Clay Twp., Harrison Twp., and New Lebanon City Council, records show.
Board Chair Rhine McLin said it is the most write-in candidates she’s seen in nine years on the panel. But it’s not a statistic that is often tabulated, said Deputy Director Sarah Greathouse.
“We don’t really track that information…it’s just not a number that we keep somewhere,” Greathouse said.
“We are all under the impression (14) is a lot,” she added. “But we can’t put that in any historical context at this time.”
In many cases — such as with the Dayton school board — write-in candidates in Miami and Montgomery County will be elected due to a lack of candidates in several races. That puts greater emphasis on voter research, said Jeff Rezabek, elections director.
Voters “are going to have to know each of those candidates,” he said. “If they choose one of those candidates they’re going to have to know their names and write that in. Their names will not appear on the ballot itself.”
In jurisdictions with write-ins, there will be a line for voters to write in the candidates’ names, Rezabek added.
Dayton school board write-ins are Ken Hayes, Eugene F. Jackson, Ronnee Tingle and incumbent Karen Wick, county records show. Three other candidates’ names will be on the ballot in an election for four board seats.
In West Carrollton, the school board race for three seats will include write-ins Stephanie Albrycht, Nathaniel Mundy and Karen R. Poindexter. Two incumbents’ names will be on the ballot, according to the county.
Richard H. Dobson Jr. and incumbent Harold Robinson are West Carrollton City Council candidate write-ins in an election for four seats, according to the county. Three other names will be on the ballot.
WRITE IN CANDIDATES
Greene County (4)
Bellbrook school board, 2; and one each for Beavercreek school board and Silvercreek Twp. trustee.
Montgomery County (14)
Dayton school board, 4; West Carrollton school board, 3; West Carrollton City Council, 2; Jefferson Twp. school board, 2; and one each for Clay Twp. trustees, Harrison Twp. trustees, and New Lebanon City Council.
Miami County (4)
One each for Tipp City Council, Milton-Union school board, Union Twp. trustee and Washington Twp. trustee.
SOURCES: Boards of elections in Greene, Montgomery and Miami counties.
