Badik hired as elections deputy director

2/12/2005

The Lucas County board of elections has hired Democrat Michael Badik to fill the post of deputy director, the Democratic Party's top administrative post in the office. He was selected by Paula Ross and Diane Brown, the two Democrats on the elections governing board. They and Republican Bernadette Noe voted to appoint him yesterday.

Republican Sam Thurber, the fourth member of the board, did not attend the meeting.

Ms. Ross said she did not consult with party leaders before making the choice.

"The top priority really is to build a team amongst the staff to ensure there are efficient, proper elections that occur in the county," Mr. Badik said. "We need to refocus our attentions on the elections and getting that process to meet all the standards that the secretary of state has set for the board."

Records on file with the county elections office show Mr. Badik, 49, is a faithful voter.

He has no experience in the administration of elections. He has, however, worked on political campaigns, including the failed 1987 mayoral campaign of Carty Finkbeiner and the failed 1993 mayoral campaign of independent candidate Mike Ferner.

Ms. Ross was the chairman of that Ferner campaign, which narrowly lost to Mr. Finkbeiner. Ms. Ross later became chairman of the county Democratic Party, but was tossed from power last year in a contentious battle against former county Commissioner Sandy Isenberg.

Mr. Badik is now the acting manager of the Division of Housing and Neighborhood Services for the city of Toledo. He has worked for the city since 2001.

He is a graduate of St. John's Jesuit High School and attended the University of Toledo.

He will be paid $66,974 per year.

Contact Fritz Wenzel at:

fritz@theblade.com

or 419-724-6134.