Madison Messenger - January 8th, 2023

PAGE 2 - MADISON MESSENGER - January 8, 2023
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Candidates must file by Feb. 1 for May ballot
By Kristy Zurbrick
Madison Editor
The 2023 primary election is slated for
May 2. The deadline to declare candidacy
for seats up for election on the May 2 ballot
is 4 p.m. Feb. 1.
The seats up for election are:
• Madison County municipal court
judge—six-year term.
• London mayor—four-year term.
• London council president—two-year
term.
• London city auditor—four-year term.
• London law director—four-year term.
• London council members at-large—
three seats, each with two-year terms.
• London council member for Ward 1—
two-year term.
• London council member for Ward 2—
two-year term.
• London council member for Ward 3—
two-year term.
• London council member for Ward 4—
two-year term.
• West Jefferson mayor—four-year term.
In the county and London races, the top
vote getter in each race in the primary election
will move on to the Nov. 7 general election.
The West Jefferson mayor’s race will only
appear on the May 2 ballot if at least three
individuals file for candidacy. In that case,
the top two vote getters in the primary will
move onto the general election. If there are
two or fewer candidates, the race will not
LAND
Continued from page 1
and management, Kell said the land bank
has a few avenues it can pursue. The county
treasurer’s office can set aside some of its
Delinquent Tax and Assessment Collection
funds for the land bank. Government entities
in the county can put seed money into
the land bank.
“We will need to have those dollars if we
take on property,” Kell said.
Once the land bank is up and running,
proceeds from its property sales will go back
into maintaining and managing its other
properties.
The land bank will work closely with
townships and municipalities in the county.
“The last thing we want to do is have a
local community out of the loop, not knowing
what’s going on, and get surprised by
something happening in their community,”
Kell said.
County officials have been talking for
several years about creating a land bank.
They have seen other communities use
them successfully and thought now was the
right time to create one, Kell said.
“More than ever, in the decade I’ve been
here, this is the most active it’s been when
appear on the primary ballot. Those candidates
will appear on the general election
ballot.
For information about how to file for candidacy,
contact the Madison County Board
of Elections at (740) 852-9424. Or visit the
office, 1423 State Route 38 SE, London (just
north of Fairhaven School). The office is
open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The exception
is Jan. 10, Jan. 12, and Jan. 13
when the office will be closed for staff training.
During those closures, staff will be
available by email at madison@ohiosos.gov.
The Secretary of State’s “2023 Candidate
Requirement Guide” outlines all requirements
and procedures and can be viewed or
downloaded at www.ohiosos.gov/globaleassets/publications/election/2023_crg.pdf.
It is recommended that potential candidates
visit the Madison County Board of
Elections office to pick up an information
packet that includes the “2023 Candidate
it comes to developers of all sizes and all
types of real estate being interested in
Madison County,” he said.
As an example, he pointed to Honda’s announcement
last fall that it plans to build
an electric vehicle battery plant in Jeffersonville.
“We are in a sweet spot between the (Jeffersonville)
plant and Marysville (where
Honda operates an auto assembly plant).
Two days after the announcement, we had
people calling our office about land for endusers
supplying that battery plant,” Kell
said.
“We want to have tools (like the land
bank) to make sure we develop responsibly
and allow for any opportunity to be considered,”
he continued.
To get the ball rolling, late last year, the
Madison County commissioners passed a
resolution to form a land bank and filed
Requirement Guide” and all other information
they need to file for a race.
As of Jan. 3, two people have filed petitions
for candidacy. Donald Brent Mc-
Daniels has filed for the London mayor’s
race. Ray Martin has filed for the West Jefferson
mayor’s race.
Following the Feb. 1 filing deadline, the
Board of Elections has until Feb. 13 to certify
the validity and sufficiency of candidates’
petitions.
Other important dates:
• Independent candidates for races for
which primary races are held have until 4
p.m. May 1 to file petitions. Those whose petitions
are later certified will appear on the
Nov. 7 ballot.
• The voter registration deadline for the
May 2 primary election is April 3.
• Polls will be open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
May 2.
Visit www.boe.ohio.gov/madison/.
with the Ohio Secretary of State.
The next step is to form a board. The
board must include two county commissioners,
the county treasurer, a representative
from the largest municipality in the county
(London), and three other members, including
one with experience in real estate. Mark
Forrest and Dr. Tony Xenikis plan to fill the
commissioner seats. County Treasurer
Stacey McKenzie will fill a seat, as will Rex
Castle, London’s safety service director.
“We will discuss appointments for the
other three seats at our first meeting,” Kell
said. “Our goal is to try to have a representative
from the north end of the county and
one from the south end of the county, plus
someone with a real estate background.”
Meeting dates, times, and places will be
posted to the Madison County government
website, www.co.madison.oh.us. Meetings
will be open to the public.
Hobbyists donate to library
The Ohio Radio Kontrol Society (TORKS) presents a $100 donation to Mount Sterling
Public Library to purchase children’s library materials: (from left) Library Director Steve
Brindza and TORKS members Bob Wegner and Terry Nitsch. Made up of members from
across the state, TORKS puts on shows featuring large, radio-controlled hobby aircraft
and watercraft. The group is based at Deer Creek State Park near Mount Sterling.