Two races added to Findlay's fall election

The Hancock County Board of Elections has certified two independent candidates for Findlay's 4th Ward council seat and a write-in candidate for mayor. There are now three contested city races in the Nov. 7 general election. On Tuesday, the elections board certified candidate petitions for independents Randy Otermat, of 724 Sixth St., and Robert W. Love, of 116 Greenlawn Ave., for 4th Ward, and a write-in declaration by Jeffery Simon, 1520 Logan Ave., for mayor. On Feb. 13, the election board rejected candidate petitions filed by three-term Findlay City Councilman Jim Slough, R-4, due to a shortage of valid signatures. Ohio law prohibits a candidate with rejected election petitions from attempting to run for that office again either as an independent or write-in candidate during the election cycle, according to Jody O'Brien, election board director. Daniel DeArment, of 120 Glendale Ave., won the Republican nomination for 4th Ward in a three-way, write-in race in May's primary election. Council members are elected for two years and will be paid $8,440 this year. Since 2017, Findlay council members have received the same yearly pay raise given to non-union city employees. Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn, a Republican, also won her party's nomination in May, defeating challenger Haydee Sadler with 60% of the vote. So far, Simon will be Muryn's only challenger in November. She was appointed as Findlay's mayor in 2019, and was then elected to the position. She is serving her first full, four-year term. The mayor's salary is $90,156 this year, and the term is for four years. There also is a contested race for the city's 3rd Ward council seat, with incumbent Beth Warnecke, of 1822 Windsor Place, being challenged by Democrat Shaun Mason, 606 Bright Road, in the November election. Warnecke defeated fellow Republican Kraig Kutschbach, of 1726 Windsor Place, in the primary. Mason faced no primary challengers. Every city office, with the exception of the treasurer, is up for election this year. That includes the mayor, auditor, law director, all ward and at-large council seats, council president and municipal court judge. Most went unchallenged in May's primary election. Write-in candidates for city government have until 4 p.m. Aug. 28 to declare their intentions.