Lucas County Board of Elections OKs 3 for Nov. ballot

4/13/2011

The Lucas County Board of Elections Tuesday certified three candidates to the Nov. 8 election ballot and referred Jeff Simpson, a former candidate last year for Lucas County Republican chairman, to the Ohio Elections Commission for failure to file a campaign finance report.

Candidates whose signature petitions were certified Tuesday were :

Chuck Hoecherl, 3153 Lexington Glen Blvd., Monclova Township, a Republican, for re-election as Monclova Township trustee.

Scott Ramey, a Republican, for re-election as Sylvania Municipal judge.

Penny J. Levine, 3753 Herr Rd., Sylvania Township, Democrat, for Sylvania Township trustee. The seat is now held by Neal Mahoney, 4203 Shamley Green Drive, Sylvania Township, a Republican, who was appointed to replace Democrat Carol Contrada who was elected Nov. 2 to the Lucas County board of commissioners. Mr. Mahoney has taken out petitions to run for the seat.

The board voted to ask the Ohio Elections Commission to enforce campaign committee deadlines on Mr. Simpson, who failed to turn in his 2010 annual report by the Jan. 31 deadline.

Olga Vallejo, campaign finance examiner for the elections board, said three attempts were made to deliver a certified letter to Mr. Simpson at his address, 2246 Midlawn Drive, but the letter was returned undelivered. He also did not respond to several phone calls made by former Deputy Director Jeremy Demagall, according to the board of elections.

Mr. Simpson's 2009 annual report showed a balance of $55.28 remaining in his campaign account from his 2007 run for city council District 2. That report showed that the account was being charged a $5 monthly bank fee.

Mr. Simpson was one of 10 people who ran in the primary election in District 2 and was the endorsed Republican. The election was won by D. Michael Collins, an independent.

In 2009, Mr. Simpson, a lawyer, participated in an unsuccessful effort to unseat county GOP Chairman Jon Stainbrook, then ran unsuccessfully for chairman in the June leadership election.