Some early voters in Sandusky County to get second ballot

FREMONT -- Voters in the Woodville and Clyde court districts who cast ballots early will be mailed a second ballot containing the names of candidates for county court judge in the two courts.

The Sandusky County Board of Elections held an emergency meeting at 6 a.m. today to act in light of a ruling Thursday by the Ohio Supreme Court which declared the merging of the two courts unconstitutional and ordered that an election for judges in Woodville and Clyde be held Nov. 6.

While three candidates had filed for the positions, their names did not appear on the ballot, and early voting has been underway since Oct. 2.

Lisa Hartley, elections director in Sandusky County, said the extra ballots will be printed in the elections office and should be mailed out by Monday. Secondary ballots also will be printed for voters who choose to vote early at the board office and for those who vote on election day.

“It will get done,” she said. “It is what it is. The Supreme Court ordered it, and we will do it.”

Only Judge John Kolesar filed for the judgeship in Clyde, while Beth Tischler and Mary Beth Fiser filed petitions to run for the judgeship in Woodville. The current judge in the Woodville court, Herbert Adams, is prohibited by his age from seeking another term.

Ms. Hartley said the ruling does not affect voters in the cities of Fremont and Bellevue or in Ballville, Sandusky, and York townships. They do not vote on the judges’ races.

The state legislature earlier this year approved a bill merging the two county courts into one Sandusky County Municipal Court and appointing the two current judges, whose terms expire at the end of this year, to remain on the bench an additional year. The bill called for an election of a new judge in November, 2013.

The high court said Thursday that the merger of the two county courts was unconstitutional, in part because the state legislature is not empowered to appoint judges.