Candidates back out of Lucas County ballot

Alexis Lanier, of Toledo, studies the ballot as she votes Jan. 31 at the Lucas County Early Vote Center on Washington Street. THE BLADE Enlarge | Photo Reprints

A little over a week since voting started in Lucas County, four Republican candidates have withdrawn from the ballot.

Write-in candidate for Lucas County Commissioner Thomas Stamos of Toledo withdrew, leaving John Marshall of Sylvania Township as the only Republican candidate to run against Democratic incumbent Pete Gerken. Mr. Marshall is a write-in and so needs at least 50 write-in votes to qualify for the general election race.

Gina-Marie Kaczala withdrew as a candidate for the female committeeman’s seat in Senate District 2, leaving Diana Talmage unopposed. Kelly Mettler of Springfield Township withdrew as the female candidate for committeeman in Senate District 11, leaving Meghan Gallagher, chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party’s central committee and the incumbent, unopposed.

And Tom Morgan of Sylvania has withdrawn as a candidate for the male committeeman seat in Senate District 2, leaving Mark Wagoner, an Ottawa Hills lawyer and father of Republican state Sen. Mark Wagoner, unopposed.

The remaining race in the Toledo area is for the male committeeman seat in Senate District 11 between Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook, incumbent committeeman Jonathan Binkley, and challenger Sean Binkley, no relation to Jonathan.

Voters will be told that the candidates have withdrawn and any votes cast for them will not be counted, said Dan DeAngelis, deputy director of the Lucas County Board of Elections.

The state central committee, which will be decided on the March 6 ballot, elects the state party chairman. This year’s contest has been a high-profile one because of an effort by Gov. John Kasich to recruit candidates to vote to unseat the current chairman Kevin DeWine.