Mount Vernon's Scoles, Stuller fail to qualify for reelection

MOUNT VERNON – An incumbent Mount Vernon City Council candidate and the city treasurer lost their bids for reelection after the Knox County Board of Elections determined they did not get enough ballot signatures.

Samantha Scoles, the incumbent First Ward Democrat City Council candidate, and David Stuller, the incumbent Republican city treasurer, failed to qualify, Kim Horn, director of the Knox County Board of Elections, said. In its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Elections ruled that Franklin Walker, a Democrat running for an at-large council seat, also failed to qualify.

Horn said some signatures on their ballot applications were not valid, while other signatures came from individuals who were from the wrong party, did not live in Mount Vernon or were not registered voters.

The elections director said she is waiting to learn how the city treasurer position is filled if no candidates file for election, or if it’s possible that someone can be added to the ballot in the fall. Only Republican Stuller filed for election to that position.

“But I’m just waiting for our legal counsel to give us information on that,” Horn said.

The filing deadline for write-in candidates is Feb. 22. Signatures from registered voters are not required. The disqualified candidates cannot file as write-in candidates for those offices.

Individuals who want to run as independents are required to get more signatures. They have until May 3 — the day before the spring election — to file for the November ballot.

Candidates whose filings were certified included Bruce E. Hawkins, incumbent Republic City Council president; Joshua J. Kirby, Republican 1st Ward candidate; and incumbent Republicans John M. Francis (2nd Ward), Tamara A. Woods, (3rd Ward) and Michael P. Hillier (4th Ward).

Voters will elect three candidates for at-large seats on City Council. Republican candidates whose filings were certified included Amber Lynn Keener and incumbents Tanner S. Salyers and Janis E. Seavolt. Incumbent Democrat Julia M. Warga also had her candidacy certified.

If candidates have no primary opposition from within their party, that race will not be on the May ballot. The candidate will be placed on the November ballot. For the at-large seat, if three or fewer candidates from a party qualify, they will move to the November ballot.

The deadline for voter registration is April 5. Early voting starts April 6. Absentee ballots can be filed starting April 6. Voters have until noon on May 1 to ask that an absentee ballot be mailed to them, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.