Are you running for mayor?

Sev­eral mem­bers of the a Galion com­mu­nity have approached the board of elec­tions for peti­tions to run for pub­lic office. The prob­lem is, the board of elec­tions has not been given any infor­ma­tion as to what peti­tions are needed for the May 7 elec­tion as far as Galion is concerned.

The board of elec­tions is wait­ing for guid­ance from Galion city. The board of elec­tions can­not make any deci­sions on what type of peti­tion is needed until spe­cific infor­ma­tion is given to them and they can­not take any stance on any issue.

What type of elec­tion is it? Accord­ing to the board of elec­tions May 7 is a pri­mary elec­tion to nom­i­nate can­di­dates run­ning for office. But for Galion, still under the Char­ter, the elec­tion is a non-partisan spe­cial election.

Accord­ing to the amendment

Any­one com­ing to the board of elec­tions for a peti­tion to run for pub­lic office needs to know which peti­tion to ask for.

Who decides which peti­tion to ask for?

Accord­ing to Don Faulds, mem­ber of the com­mit­tee to abol­ish the char­ter, the sit­ting Galion City Coun­cil has to make deci­sions regard­ing the elec­tion in May, includ­ing how much each of the posi­tions will pay and whether or not the mayor (and other offi­cials) will be full or part time.

Faulds also thought that since the city is still under the char­ter the bal­lot used should be a non-partisan bal­lot for a spe­cial election.

“We are at the mercy of these peo­ple [city coun­cil],” said Faulds. “We have to work with this coun­cil in order to do this.”

Offi­cials needed to be elected accord­ing to the amend­ment issue are Mayor, Law Direc­tor, Audi­tor, Trea­surer, Coun­cil Pres­i­dent and coun­cil mem­bers. Accord­ing to Ohio Revised Code 733 there needs to be no less than seven coun­cil members.

Posted by Rachel Mendell on Nov 14 2012. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS Feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.