In the upcoming May 5 Primary Election in Licking County, three Democrats are vying for the chance to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson in the fall; five Republicans and one Democrat are running for the county commissioner’s seat being vacated by Rick Black; and Judge David Branstool is running for a different judgeship than he currently holds in the common pleas court.
And both Newark and Alexandria are again seeking voter approval for half-percent increases in their income-tax rates. Voters in both of those communities rejected income-tax increases in elections last year – and the Alexandria request was so close that it failed in a tie vote.
The deadline for candidates and issues campaigns to file paperwork to appear on the May primary ballot was Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Branstool’s filing to run against incumbent Richard P. Wright for one of the two Domestic Relations Division judgeships was outside the norm for Licking County judicial races.
Branstool, 59, was reelected in 2024 to one of two judgeships in the General Division of the Licking County Common Pleas Court.
The other General Division judgeship in the common pleas court is held by Thomas Marcelain, who is running unopposed for reelection to a six-year term. Marcelain is 68, so the 2026 General Election will be the last time he can run for reelection, because Ohio law says that people 70 and older cannot be appointed or run for election as a judge.
Brian Mead, deputy director of the Licking County Elections Board, said that Branstool will be running “under cover,” which means that if he loses the race for domestic relations court, he will retain his current judicial position.
And if Branstool wins, he would have to resign from his current position. In that case, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine would appoint a replacement to fulfill the remainder of Branstool’s current term, said Elections Board Director Tess Wigginton.
Branstool was not immediately available for comment. His assistant said on Thursday, Feb. 5, that Branstool was on vacation.
Judicial races in Ohio are considered non-partisan, but candidates appear under their party affiliation in primaries.
Branstool will appear on the Democratic primary ballot, and Wright, 65, is listed as a Republican.
Wright was first elected to the Licking County Domestic Relations Court in 2008. He has been an attorney since 1987, according to his bio online, and he practiced law for 21 years with his father and as a sole practitioner with Wright Law Offices in Columbus and Newark.
Branstool was elected to the Licking County Common Pleas Court in 2010, according to his bio online. Prior to that, he served as a judge on the Licking County Municipal Court from 2003 to 2010. Prior to becoming a judge, Branstool practiced law in central Ohio for nearly 10 years.
The elections board will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 17 to certify the ballot. Between now and then, the elections board staff will go over all of the filings for the May 5 ballot to make sure all of the paperwork is in order. If they find flaws in the paperwork, they will present them to the elections board to decide whether those candidates or issues will appear on the ballot.
Early voting will begin on April 7. Here are the candidates and issues that will appear on the primary ballot if certified by the elections board:
Candidates
(Addresses are mailing addresses.)
U.S. Representative to Congress from the 12th District:
Troy Balderson, R, Zanesville (incumbent)
Jerrad Christian, D, Galena
Daniel Crawford, D, Newark
Jason Reynard, D, Newark
Ohio State Representative from the 68th District
Thad Claggett, R, Newark (incumbent)
Mason Blankenship, D, Pataskala
Ohio State Representative from the 69th District
Kevin D. Miller, R, Newark (incumbent)
Amy Rigsby, D, Amanda
Judge, Licking County Common Pleas Court, General Division
Thomas M. Marcelain, R, Newark
Judge, Licking County Common Pleas Court, Probate/Juvenile
Michael R. Dalsanto, D, Newark
Deborah G. Lang, R, Newark (incumbent)
Judge, Licking County Common Pleas Court, Domestic Relations
David Branstool, D, Alexandria
Richard P. Wright, R, Glenford (incumbent)
Licking County Auditor
Michael L. Smith, R, Granville (incumbent)
Licking County Commissioner
Mary McLeish, D, Newark
Bill Bogantz, R, Johnstown
Jeff Rath, R, Newark
Gregory Smith, R, Newark
James Snedden Jr., R, St. Louisville
Mark Van Buren, R, Hebron
Democratic State Central Committee, 20th District man
Joe Begeny, D, Reynoldsburg
Todd Shafer, D, Glenford
Democratic State Central Committee, 20th District woman
Stephanie Dodd, D, Granville
Susan J. Haas, D, Hopewell
Republican State Central Committee, 20th District man
Shelby X. Hunt, R, Pickerington
Rob Platte, R, Pataskala
Nicholas S. Rhodes, R, Pickerington
Republican State Central Committee, 20th District woman
Anna Breen, R, Newark
Cheryl K. Ricketts, R, Pickerington
Libertarian State Central Committee, 12th District
Steven Perkins, L, Pataskala
Libertarian County Central Committee, Licking County
Steven Perkins, L, Pataskala
Issues
Licking County Transit Authority: A countywide additional sales and use tax of 0.15% for 10 years for general revenue “to preserve and improve transit services and ensure long-term service availability to support access to transportation.”
Newark City: An additional 0.5% income tax for general revenue to be dedicated specifically to police and fire services. (A request for the same amount failed in the November election. That request was for the general fund and not specifically for police and fire services. If approved, it would raise the income tax in Newark to 2.25% from the current 1.75%. The vote in November was 57.56% against the tax increase.)
Newark City: Charter amendment to allow ordinances, resolutions, statements, orders, proclamations, notices and reports to be published as required in accordance with one of the methods prescribed by Ohio Revised Code 731.21. (The options are to publish them in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation; on the official public notice web site established under section 125.182 of the Revised Code; or on the website and social media account of the municipal corporation.)
Alexandria Village: An additional 0.5% income tax to a total rate of 1.5% for general municipal functions, including street improvements, village maintenance, and police services, effective July 1, 2026. (A similar request failed in a 58-58 tie in May 2025.)
Hanover Village: An additional property tax of 3 mills for five years, commencing in 2026 and first due in 2027 for the purpose of maintaining, repairing, and constructing streets in the village. The county auditor estimates the tax will collect $142,451 annually. It would cost a property owner an additional $105 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value.
Hanover Village: Renewal of a 1-mill, 3-year property tax levy for fire protection and emergency medical services. The county auditor estimates the tax will collect $27,762 annually and cost property owners $18 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, commencing in 2026 and first due in 2027.
Hanover Township: An additional property of 0.5 mills for five years to maintain and operate cemeteries. The county auditor estimates the tax will collect $66,335 annually and will cost property owners $18 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value.
Newark Township: An additional property tax of 1.5 mills for five years for general construction, reconstruction, resurfacing and repair of streets, roads and bridges. The county auditor estimates it will collect $174,556 annually and cost a property owner $53 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, commencing in 2026 and first due in 2027.
Homer Fire District (Burlington Township and overlapping into Knox County): Renewal of a 5-mill, three-year property tax for fire protection and emergency medical services. The county auditor estimates it will collect $541,387 annually, and will cost a property owner $139 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value, commencing in 2026 and first due in 2027.
River View Local School District (Eden Township Precinct 4, overlapping from Coshocton County): Renewal of a 4.8-mill property tax for a continuing period of time for current expenses. The county auditor estimates it will collect $1,736,533 annually and cost property owners $106 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value, commencing in 2026 and first due in 2027.
Alan Miller writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.