Lucas County Board of Election

Toledo City Council, judge candidates file

7/16/2011

A former Toledo city firefighters’ union president and the fired deputy director of the Lucas County Board of Elections were among candidates who filed by Friday’s deadline to run for Toledo City Council.

James Martin, Jr., of 2245 Barrington Drive, who is a member of the city fire department and a Democrat, would run against Republican Tom Waniewski, of 3633 Rushland Ave., who is seeking a second term representing District 5. The former president of Firefighters Local 92 is expected to win city union support against Mr. Waniewski, who was one of the councilmen who backed the “exigent circumstances” legislation in 2010 to wring concessions out of city unions during a period when the city faced a potential $48 million deficit.

Mr. Martin could not be reached for comment.

Jeremy Demagall, of 2505 Green Valley Drive, formerly deputy director of the elections board, would run against District 2 incumbent Councilman D. Michael Collins, of 2235 Heatherwood Drive, who has no declared party affiliation, and Republican Steven Jasinski, of 1745 Wildwood Road. If all three are certified to the ballot, a primary election will be held Sept. 13 to narrow the race to two candidates.

Mr. Demagall, a Republican, enters the contest for city council only three months after being fired, along with Linda Howe, then-director of the elections board, at the orders of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

He said Friday he is in discussions about a possible job, and said running for office is something he’s always planned to do.

“I’ve got a lot of community support,” Mr. Demagall said. He declined to discuss his removal from the elections board, saying that’s in the past.

George Sarantou, a Republican, was ahead of Democrat Carol Contrada in the unofficial election count last November until some 4,000 provisional ballots were added, making Ms. Contrada the winner by 193 votes. In March, Mr. Husted ordered Ms. Howe and Mr. Demagall dismissed because they ignored a legal advisory not to count 114 provisional ballots.

Jon Stainbrook, chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party, said he does not support Mr. Demagall’s candidacy, adding that he does not believe Republicans could vote for Mr. Demagall because the Sarantou-Contrada ballot controversy affected a fellow Republican candidate.

But Mr. Stainbrook added that there are strong candidates on the ballot across Lucas County.

“This is a great day for the Republican Party in northwest Ohio because now voters have a choice,” he said.

Also adding his name to the lists was Aji Green, an unsuccessful Democratic contender for Toledo Board of Education in 2009, to succeed longtime District 1 Councilman Wilma Brown who is stepping down because of term limits.

Mr. Green, of 2658 Merrimac Blvd., held a news conference Friday to tout his candidacy and released a YouTube video.

“District 1 needs a new type of leader and a candidate that is going to work to make the city better,” said Mr. Green. He said he planned to go out late last night with a group of ministers to a downtown neighborhood where shootings have occurred to talk to the young men that he finds there.

He also said he would work with council to assess additional taxes on the owners of dilapidated properties to get them cleaned up. Mr. Green works as a legal professional for a downtown law firm.

In all, seven candidates have filed for District 1, which stretches from southwest Toledo into the central city. The field will be narrowed to two candidates in the Sept. 13 primary. Schylar Meadows, a Democrat, of 2164½ Perth St., a medical worker and radio and TV personality, also filed petitions Friday as did Darryl Fingers, Republican, 3019 Nebraska Ave.; Tyrone Riley, Democrat, 629 Searles Road; Jason Schreiner, Democrat, 3635 Torrance Drive; Kenneth Sharp, Libertarian, 2530 Montebello Road, and Brandon Tucker, Democrat, 2036 Upton Ave.

Another new filing Friday was Toledo city Prosecutor Dave Toska, who has no declared party affiliation, for the seat on Toledo Municipal Court now held by Democratic Judge Francis X. Gorman, who is stepping down. The race already has two contenders filed, Republican Mark Davis and Democrat Michelle Wagner, who will face off with Mr. Toska in the Nov. 8 election without a primary.

Voters in Council District 3 also will have a crowded ballot to choose from in the Sept. 13 primary. Candidates filing petitions by the deadline were incumbent Councilman Mike Craig, Democrat, of 2127 Consaul St.; Daniel Angel, no declared party, 715 Boalt St.; Ernie Berry, Republican, 229 Oswald St.; Shaun Enright, Democrat, 738 Clark St., and Hans Schnapp, Republican, 301 Broadway.

Primaries also are likely in Council Districts 4 and 6.

Candidates who filed in Council District 4 were incumbent Democratic Councilman Paula Hicks-Hudson, 2633 Robinwood Ave.; Alfonso Narvaez, Republican, 2019 North Ontario St., and Anita Rios, Green Party, 2626 Robinwood Ave.

Candidates who filed for Council District 6 were Douglas DeCamp, Republican, 3001 116th St.; Sean Nestor, no declared party, 4640 288th St., and Lindsay Webb, Democrat, 2163 Chalmette Drive.

Contract Tom Troy at: tomtroy@theblade.com or 419-724-6058.