5 hopefuls gain ballot; challenge against 1 council candidate rejected
7/15/2009The Lucas County Board of Elections certified Kevin Milliken and four other Toledo City Council candidates to the ballot yesterday after denying a residency protest against Mr. Milliken.
The protester, Melinda Jenson, 505 Jefferson Ave., cited a document from the Lucas County auditor identifying the property - a lot in the Westbrook mobile home park - as vacant.
Mr. Milliken showed the board a lease on a new mobile home at 5702 Angola Rd. and a divorce record showing the address, both from December, 2008 - time enough to meet the charter's requirement of one year of residency before he would take office.
The board ruled that Ms. Jenson didn't meet the burden of proof required by state law.
Board member Gary Johnson, a Democrat, said the auditor's records are based on the previous six-month period and may not have been updated yet.
He said receipts from utilities would have been better evidence that Mr. Milliken lives in the manufactured-housing park. Mr. Milliken offered to return in the afternoon with such receipts, but Mr. Johnson said it wouldn't be necessary.
The motion to deny the residency protest was made by Republican Lynn Olman, who also declared that Mr. Milliken is a client of his insurance business. Mr. Olman said later he checked with the board's lawyer and was told he would not have to abstain from the vote. He said he has insurance policies with more than 4,000 families.
Mr. Milliken, a registered Democrat, is running with the group Teamwork Toledo.
Also certified by the elections board for the city council election were Teamwork Toledo members John Adams, Michael Watson, and Tricia Lyons, and Democrat Terry Biel.
The candidates are running for six at-large seats on council. The top 12 vote-getters in the Sept. 15 primary will face off Nov. 3.