Ben Roberts
THE BLADE
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COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted today rejected the two Republican nominees for vacant seats on the Lucas County Board of Elections.
Mr. Husted declined to appoint Ben Roberts, 45, of Maumee, and Kelly Bensman, 37, of Toledo, who were recommended by the Lucas County Republican Party for the party's two seats on the elections board. He said both were not qualified because they had either contributed to or perpetuated the culture of dysfunction that he said affected the elections board.
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Mr. Husted has not yet ruled on whether he will appoint the Democratic nominee for their vacancy, former Toledo school board member and party treasurer Brenda Hill.
State law requires the Republican Party to now name two more nominees.
The three vacancies exist because Mr. Husted removed three board members due to what he called instances of dysfunction and neglect of duty.