SHEFFIELD TWP. — There will only be a few contested state and local races in Lorain County during the March primary, according to a list prepared by the county Board of Elections after the filing deadline Wednesday.
The most crowded primary will be the contest to replace term-limited state Rep. Terry Boose, R-Norwalk. On the Republican side, outgoing Rochester Mayor Kathy Frombaugh, Timothy Opsitnick of Avon, Dick Stein of Norwalk and Lee Waldrup of Bellevue will face off against each other.
The winner will face Democrat Tom Dunlap of Norwalk, who is unopposed in his party’s primary.
State Rep. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, has no competition in his party’s primary, clearing the way to face Sheffield Councilman Kevin Watkinson, who has no challenger in the Democratic primary.
State Rep. Dan Ramos, D-Lorain, also isn’t facing a primary opponent, but will face Jessie Tower, a Republican who doesn’t have a primary foe, in the fall.
Most candidates running for county offices also aren’t facing challenges in the primary and unless an independent files in their respective races they won’t face an opponent in November as well.
County Commissioner Ted Kalo, Clerk of Courts Tom Orlando, Sheriff Phil Stammitti, Recorder Judy Nedwick, Treasurer Dan Talarek, Engineer Ken Carney and county Common Pleas Judge Mark Betleski, all Democrats, don’t have opponents from either party.
County Coroner Stephen Evans, a Republican, also doesn’t have any opposition.
Commissioner Lori Kokoski doesn’t have an opponent in her Democratic primary, but will face Republican Connie Carr of Lorain in the fall. Carr is unopposed in her primary.
County Prosecutor Dennis Will, a Democrat, will face a challenge in the form of Elyria defense attorney JD Tomlinson during the primary. No Republican filed to run in that race.
There also will be several judicial primaries, including the effort by former county Common Pleas Judge James Burge, who resigned earlier this year after he was convicted of misdemeanor ethics charges, to return to the bench. Burge will challenge Common Pleas Judge Christopher Rothgery in the Democratic primary, but the winner of the race won’t face a Republican foe in the fall.
County Common Pleas Judge Michele Silva Arredondo, the Republican appointed to replace Burge, will face a primary foe in the form of retired attorney Wilhelm Spiegelberg II. The winner of that contest will face Democrat Chris Cook, who doesn’t have a primary opponent, in the fall.
Another crowded race will be the contest to replace retiring Domestic Relations Judge Debra Boros, where three Democrats and two Republicans are vying for their respective part nominations.
On the Democratic side are Domestic Relations Magistrate Ben Davey, former Assistant County Prosecutor Sherry Glass and Sheffield Lake Law Director David Graves. The two Republicans in the race are attorneys Jenifer Berki and Krista Marinaro.
There also will be several issues on the ballot, including a 0.5 percent income tax increase being sought by Elyria officials.
School districts in Avon Lake, Oberlin and Vermilion are seeking levy renewals, while Firelands Schools is seeking a bond issues to finance capital improvements.
Libraries in Avon, Oberlin, Sheffield Lake and Lorain are seeking levy renewals with the Sheffield Lake and Lorain efforts including an increase.
Voters in Oberlin will also vote on renewing levies for current city expenses and garbage collection.
Columbia Township, Sheffield Township, the Amherst Township Road District and the South Lorain County Ambulance District are all seeking renewals of various levies.
There also will be local liquor options in Amherst, Elyria, Columbia Township and North Ridgeville, where there will also be a zoning amendment on the ballot.
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