Complaint over Jones' candidacy withdrawn

FINDLAY — A challenge to Orion Jones' petition to run for Hancock County Commissioner was withdrawn Monday after the complainant acknowledged Ohio law allows his candidacy to stand. Jones filed for the Republican nomination in January and is set to appear on the spring ballot alongside Rachel Rader, Gina Campbell and incumbent Commissioner Tim Bechtol. The complaint, submitted by K.C. Allen, chairman of the Hancock County Republican Party's Central Committee, argued Jones' filing was invalid because he had not voted in a Republican primary in the past two years and therefore had "no declared party." Voting records show Jones as a nonpartisan voter. Allen said last week the challenge was not personal, but an effort to "protect the constituency" and ensure the party had "the right candidate." At Monday's public hearing, Allen told the Hancock County Board of Elections that Jones had "not shown Hancock County voters that he was a Republican" and had not supported GOP candidates in recent primaries. Allen withdrew the complaint during the hearing, saying further research revealed the Ohio Revised Code permits candidates with Jones' voting history to run under a party label. "After doing research and having wise counsel, it's true and unfortunate that holes in Ohio law evidently allow someone with a dubious voting record to run as a candidate for any office," Allen said. He welcomed Jones to the party and said the Republican party would defend the Republican candidate against the Democratic party, no matter who that candidate was. Jones attended the hearing but did not speak. In a phone interview with The Courier afterward, he said he is willing to forgive Allen for filing the challenge.