RAVENNA: A 13-month-long process to fill two expiring seats on the Portage County Board of Commissioners began Wednesday with nine potential candidates throwing their hats into the ring.
Six of those hopefuls want to fill the void being left by Chris Smeiles, who will end a 24-year run with the board when his current term expires in January 2013.
The other three are current board President Maureen Frederick and two challengers to her post.
Wednesday was the deadline for candidates to file petitions to get their names on the March 6 primary ballot.
If the Portage County Board of Elections certifies all of them, four Democrats and two Republicans will fight for Smeiles’ seat.
Democratic voters will choose from Kathleen Chandler of Kent, Jon Barber of Rootstown, Bill Davis of Ravenna and Christopher Mallin of Mogadore. Republicans will decide between W. Roak Zeller of Kent and Larry Solak of Mantua.
The winner of each party primary will face off in November’s general election.
Some of the names might be familiar to area voters.
Chandler represented the 68th Ohio House District, but term limits prevented her from running again last year. Her political career includes stints as a county commissioner and mayor of Kent.
Davis lost to Chandler in 2006 for the Ohio House seat and this year lost a bid to become Ravenna’s mayor.
Mallin sought the Portage County auditor’s job last year.
Barber is director of the Portage County Emergency Management Agency.
Among the Republicans, Solak is a former Shalersville trustee who has run for commissioner, and Zeller twice has sought a seat in the Ohio House.
In the other commissioner’s race, Frederick is a third term. Primary voters will decide between her and Democratic challenger Angelo Battaglia of Ravenna. The sole Republican filer is Edith Bridget Pavlick, the Streetsboro City Council president.
The third commissioner’s seat, held by Tommie Jo Marsilio, does not expire until January 2015.
The only other two county offices with a potential primary contest are recorder and sheriff.
For recorder, Kevin Fowler and Renee Neal, both of Ravenna, filed for the Republican primary. Incumbent Bonnie Howe was the lone Democratic filer.
For sheriff, the only two to file were Democrats: incumbent David Doak and former Sheriff P. Ken Howe, both of Ravenna.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.
