Elimination of Primary Election BUT, a Special Election set for Celina City School District Income Tax to be held May 2, 2023

Below information submitted by the Mercer County Republican Party

As provided for in Section 3513.02 of the Revised Code of Ohio, a municipal partisan primary election shall not be conducted under certain circumstances.

No primary election will be conducted for a particular political party in an odd-numbered year if, in
accordance with R.C. 3513.02, the following occurs:

• No valid declaration of candidacy is filed by a candidate of a political party for election to any
  of the offices to be voted for at the general election in that year; or
• Not more than one party declaration of candidacy is filed for each office to be voted upon at
  the general election.

In an effort to explain how this process works for 2023: 

Primary Elections are held by political parties (ex: Democratic and Republican) to nominate their candidates who will, if successfully nominated at a Primary Election, then appear on the November, General Election Ballot.

In 2023, the only jurisdiction in Mercer County that could have had Primaries to nominate candidates was the City of Celina. However, the City of Celina could have only had a Primary, if there were more than one candidate in either/both political parties for any of the offices that will appear on the ballot in November.

The offices that will appear on the Ballot in November 2023 are:

• Mayor (Executive Branch)
• Municipal Court Judge (Executive Branch)
• City Law Director (Executive Branch)
• City Auditor (Executive Branch)
• Council at Large (1 of 3 for the Legislative Branch)
• Council at Large (2 of 3 for the Legislative Branch)
• Council at Large (3 of 3 for the Legislative Branch)

In order for a Primary Election to be necessary, there would have had to be ‘two’ or more candidates file for any/each of the Executive Officers in either or both Political Parties for the city. In addition, there would also have had to be more than 3 candidates filing to run in each Political Party for the three Legislative/Council at Large seats, in order to trigger a Primary Election for either Party. 

And, as an added twist to this Primary Election process, it is can always be a possibility that only one party might have enough candidates to trigger a Primary Election. For instance, if two Democratic candidates filed for the office of Mayor of Celina, but only one Republican candidate, then the Democratic Party would hold a Primary, to decide who will be on the ballot in November.

As it stands now, no Democratic Candidates filed for any of the four Executive Offices of the city and only two Democratic candidates filed for the three Legislative/At Large Council seats.  

The Republican Party has one candidate that has filed for each of the four Executive Offices that will be on the ballot for November, and one candidate for each of the three Legislative offices/Council at Large that will be on the ballot, therefore there are no contested races at the Primary Election level for 2023 in either political party.

Then, unless a candidate (filing a petition to run as an independent, not as a Democrat or Republican) files a valid petition for one of the Executive Offices by  May 1, 2023, the four Republican’s that have filed, Primary Petitions, will appear on the November ballot and be elected as uncontested on November 7, 2023.

And, unless a candidate or candidates (filing a petition to run as independents, not as Democrat or Republican) files a valid petition for one of the Legislative/At Large Council seats by May 1, 2023, then the five candidates (2 Democrats and 3 Republicans) will all appear by name on the November ballot, and it will be the three candidates that receive the most votes that will be elected on November 7, 2023.

The candidates that have filed for the city of Celina are as follows:

Office                                                 Republicans                                                 Democrat

Municipal Court Judge                      Kathryn Speelman                                        No one filed

Mayor                                                 Jeff Hazel                                                       No one filed

Law Director                                       George Moore                                               No one filed

Auditor                                                Brooke Shinn                                                No one filed

Council (At Large)                             Matt Gray                                                       No one filed

Council (At Large)                             Tom Sanford                                                  Kyle Bruce

Council (At Large) Joe Wolfe Eric Lochtefeld

May 2nd^, 2023 – Special Election

For the benefit of the public and voters registered that vote in the Celina City School District, the Celina City Schools have filed a Resolution with the County Auditor and the Mercer County Board of Elections to hold a “Special Election” on the question of a School District Income Tax. 

Because this election is a “Special Election” as opposed to being part of a Primary Election, the tax question will be the only thing on the ballotand only voting precincts in the School District will be open and only registered voters of the school district may vote. In a “Special Election”.

Voters who cast ballots in Special Issue Elections, do not have to declare a political party affiliation,so every registered voter in the school district is entitled to vote on whether the school district can collect taxes on income of businesses and individuals within the school district. 

To obtain a copy of the specific ballot language voters may call the Board of Elections or School Board Members. There are approximately 13,300 registered voters in the Celina City School District that can vote at May Special

The following reflects voter turnout Celina School District Election on a Tax Issue that appeared on the 2020 Primary Election Ballot.