Marion Board of Election announces no primary election in May
With no intra-party contests this year, the Marion County Board of Elections announced there will be no primary election in May.
This means the candidates who filed and were approved by the Board of Elections will move forward into the November election under the party their affiliated with, said Cindy Price, director with the Board of Elections. Once November comes around in Marion, voters will have the chance to cast their votes for Marion City Council Ward members, City Council President and City Treasurer.
“Last night [our board] certified every one of those petitions and all of those candidates will move forward to the General Election,” she said.
In the fall, nearly every Marion position is being contested, with the exception of 1st Ward City Council, Kai Meade (D), and Council President, Todd Schneider (D). Both Meade and Schneider will run unopposed for reelection.
Of the other 15 candidates running for a seat on City Council, or running to be City Treasurer, they are as followed:
- Ayers Ratliff, the Democratic incumbent for the 2nd Ward Council, will be seeking re-election against Pamela K. Larkin (R).
- Jason Schaber, the Republican incumbent for the 3rd Ward Council, will be seeking re-election against Edwin Bibler (D).
- Joshua Feliciano, the Republican incumbent for the 4th Ward Council, will be seeking re-election against Dana Hanif-Booker (D).
- Karen S. Fosnaugh, the Republican incumbent for the 5th Ward Council, will be seeking re-election against Tara L. Dyer (D).
- Kathy L. Swanger, the Democratic incumbent for the 6th Ward, will be seeking re-election against Mike Neff (R), who is currently one of the City Council at Large members.
- Mike Thomas, the Democratic incumbent for the City Council at Large, will be seeking re-election with Even Geyer (D), Aaron Rollins (R) and Brett Cornelius (R) also running for at-large positions. There are three total at-large seats.
- Incumbent Thomas A. Pannett (D) will run for City Treasurer against Tommy T. Reese (R).
The deadline for write-in ballots is Monday at 4 p.m. so the number of candidates running for a seat could be higher, but Price said, at the time of the interview, she hasn’t heard anything about additional write-in ballots.
The General Election will take place on Nov. 2, 2021 with the polls being open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Looking to get involved? BoE says there are many ways
While the deadline to register as a voter is Oct. 4, 2021, the Marion Board of Elections is offering other ways to be involved.
For those interested in running for office one day, the Board of Elections will be hosting an educational course on April 7 at the Marion County Building in the Prospect Room to help people better understand how to submit petitions and other paperwork that goes along with this process.
Additionally, with a General Election in November, the Board of Elections is looking for community members to be poll workers for the day. If you are interested, Price said to reach out to the Board of Elections for more details on how to get started.
To register as a voter for the upcoming election, the community can do so online or by contacting one of the following:
- At any county board of elections or the Secretary of State’s Office.
- At branch registration offices or locations established by a board of elections.
- At any public high school or vocational school.
- At the office of any Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
- At offices of designated agencies which provide public assistance or disability programs
- Public libraries.
- County treasurer’s office.
Story by Mitch Hooper
(740)-244-9935 | [email protected]
Read More: Marion Board of Election announces no primary election in May