Commercial Point – Pickaway County Board of Elections removed a candidate for mayor yesterday after concerned citizens contested his candidacy.
According to Mathew Nicklas of the Pickaway County Board of Elections, Jason West was certified as a mayoral candidate in August.
“Citizens then have several weeks to contest those certifications, and a special meeting is held and evidence is allowed to come forward,” said Nicklas, “Documents came forward that proved that West did not fit the criteria of ORC 733.24.”
733.24 of the Ohio Revised code states, “The mayor of a village shall be elected for a term of four years, commencing on the first day of January next after his election. He shall be an elector of the village and shall have resided in the village for at least one year immediately preceding his election. Such mayor shall be the chief conservator of the peace therein and shall have the powers and duties provided by law. He shall be the president of the legislative authority and shall preside at all regular and special meetings thereof, but shall have no vote except in case of a tie.“
Nickolas stated that the argument that came was that West did not reside in the village for at least one year.
“Evidence including a water bill, a resignation from Commerical Point Council, and public records that he had registered and voted in Arizona in the November 2022 election,” said Nickolas.
On September 5, 2023, the Pickaway County Board of Elections agreed with the two individuals who contested the candidacy and removed West from running for Mayor. Now current Mayor Allan Goldhardt will run unopposed.
We asked Nickolas from the County Election Board how these things can happen.
“We certified the petition of the elector, but we do not investigate the details that were brought forward. That is why individuals are allowed to contest candidates, so we can make it right.”
