2021 NOVEMBER ELECTION: Voters to decide on key seats, issues in Montgomery County, Ohio

Election Day is Tuesday, and although it’s a so-called “off-year,” ballots are full of local issues — and candidates — that will have a major impact on our communities.

Voters will decide Dayton’s next mayor, who fills two Dayton commission seats, and whether Huber Heights keeps its mayor or welcomes a new one.

Other contests will determine the makeup of the Beavercreek, Centerville, Dayton and Springboro school boards, and voters in Greene County will approve or reject a sales tax increase to pay for a jail and sheriff’s office.

In Montgomery County, 43 races are contested, featuring 165 candidates, according to the county board of elections, and 17 issues are on the ballot.

Greene County has 18 ballot issues and 116 candidates; Miami County has 17 contested races and 22 issues; and Butler County has a dozen issues and 21 contested races.

Election officials say interest in this election is similar to off-year cycles, when there are no presidential or mid-term contests.

“We are expecting turnout in line with other odd years of about 20-30% turnout,” said Erin Corbin, deputy director of the Butler County Board of Elections.

Dayton races

Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley is running for governor and will not seek a third term, and her successor either will be current City Commissioner Jeffrey Mims Jr. or Rennes Bowers, a self-described Biblical conservative.

Mims, a retired educator, says good things are happening in the city and he will work hard to ensure the ongoing investment and revitalization continues to spread, strengthening neighborhoods.

Bowers, a retired district chief with the fire department, says the city is headed in the wrong direction and needs new leadership, and he is the right person for the job.

Four people are running for two seats on the Dayton City Commission, and the body will have at least one new face next year because Mims is running for mayor.

The four candidates are incumbent City Commissioner Darryl Fairchild; Shenise Turner-Sloss, who is supporting Fairchild and vice-versa; and Stacey Benson-Taylor and Scott Sliver, who were both endorsed by the Montgomery County Democratic Party and are campaigning together.

Fairchild is the manager of chaplain services at Dayton Children’s Hospital, while Turner-Sloss is a federal logistics management specialist. Sliver is a pastor and Benson-Taylor was a longtime union leader.

Fairchild won a special election in 2018, and Turner-Sloss and Sliver have previous unsuccessful runs for commission. This is Benson-Taylor’s first time running for office.

Another mayor’s race

Communities with contested council, mayor or trustee races include Bellbrook, Butler Twp., Bath Twp., Centerville, Harrison Twp., Huber Heights, Kettering, Lebanon, Miami Twp., Springboro, Sugarcreek Twp., Xenia and others.

In Huber Heights, Mayor Jeff Gore is trying to fend off a challenge from Glenn Otto.

Gore is a government teacher at Wayne High School who was elected mayor in 2017.

Otto is an insurance agent who has served as an at-large councilmember since 2016, most recently winning reelection in 2019.

The two often butt heads during council meetings.

Gore says the city has seen unprecedented commercial and residential growth during his time in office, and he wants to keep the momentum going.

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Otto said city residents aren’t being listened to, and he wants to focus on revitalizing the current community over outward growth.

School boards

Since the start of the pandemic, school board meetings frequently have made the news because of clashes over masking, COVID-19 protocols and other hot-button issues.

Uniformed police officers have been present at Centerville school board meetings on multiple occasions to “keep the peace,” and a few school board candidates say they were troubled by the hostile tone of some discussions.

Three incumbent Centerville school board members — John Doll, Dr. David Roer and Megan Sparks — are running together against three challengers, who are also running as one ticket.

The opposition is Dawn McGuire, Heather Schultz and Lysa Kosins.

Kosins and McGuire own small businesses, while Schultz has a home-based health and wellness business.

Roer is a pediatrician, Doll is an attorney and Sparks was a founding member of the Elks with Special Needs Support Group.

At least one incumbent said the board’s current leadership is experienced and fiscally disciplined, and the district is one of the best in the state. Challengers have condemned the district’s diversity plan and mask requirements, accused the board of ignoring the wishes of parents, and supporting “reckless” spending and curriculum.

In Beavercreek, five people are running for two school board seats, but only four candidates’ names will appear on the ballot: Krista Hunt, Jo Ann Rigano, Allison Lindsay and Carl Fischer. Mark Passage also is running, but as a write-in candidate.

Credit: JIM NOELKER

The candidates on the ballot have said enrollment growth and a proposal for new school facilities are among the most important issues facing the district.

Hunt was the strongest supporter of new school construction, while Lindsay actively opposed new buildings.

Hunt and Rigano, who are incumbents, and Fischer supported the district’s requirement for students to wear masks — Rigano and Fischer saying schools should follow expert medical advice, and Hunt supporting the policy because it protects in-person learning.

Lindsay and Passage said the mask mandate was harmful to children.

Three school board seats are up for grabs in Springboro, and the race features three incumbents and five newcomers.

Charles Anderson, Daniel Gudz and Dave Stuckey are trying to hold their seats, but they face challenges from Shauna Acquavita, Olga Verbitsky, Frank Catrine, Brian Retterer and Jeff Paschke-Johannes.

Some of the incumbents said the district has made significant progress to stabilize its financial situation and expand educational offerings.

Some opponents have criticized the district, claiming its leaders and board members have not been transparent, and at least one challenger says the district needs to do a better job prioritizing its spending.

Multiple candidates said they are worried about the safety and well being of the students during the pandemic and learning disruptions. A few candidates voiced concerns about the district’s decision to form a diversity committee.

In Dayton, voters will decide a seven-way race for four Dayton Public Schools Board of Education seats, in a somewhat unusual contest.

Three names will appear on the ballot: Jocelyn Rhynard, an incumbent; Chrisondra Goodwine, a newcomer; and Joe Lacey, a former board member.

But four are running as write-in candidates: incumbent Karen Wick-Gagnet and newcomers Ken Hayes, Eugene Jackson and Ronnee Tingle.

Other communities with school board races include Bellbrook, Huber Heights, Kettering, Lebanon, Mason, Oakwood, Riverside, West Carrollton and Yellow Springs.

Issues

A levy measure in Greene County would add a 0.25% temporary sales tax to pay for a $53 million facility to house the jail and sheriff’s office.

The measure, which will last for at least 16 years, would raise the county’s sales tax from 6.75% to 7%.

Supporters say about 40% of sales taxes are paid by people who live outside the county. They also say the jail is more than five decades old and has limited capacity.

Some critics who oppose the levy say the proposed facility is inadequate to meet growing needs for addiction and behavioral and mental health services. They would like to see a different facility plan.

Complete coverage

No other local media provides the in-depth coverage you need to cast your ballot.

Go to DaytonDailyNews.com/Elections to learn about candidates in every contested race in the region in our Voter Guide, as well as read stories about the issues on the ballot and how to vote.

Coming Monday, we’ll tell you what you need to know before you head to the polls and on Tuesday we’ll examine five things to watch on Election Day.

Get up-to-the-minute results on Election Night at DaytonDailyNews.com and look for E-paper updates in your Wednesday e-paper.

Contested races in Miami and Montgomery counties:

Montgomery County