Seneca County urges early petition submission for 2023 general election

Tiffin, Ohio — The Seneca County Board of Elections is urging prospective candidates for the upcoming general election on November 7th, 2023, to submit their petition paperwork well in advance of the designated deadline. According to the board, all petition paperwork must be submitted by August 9th at 4 p.m.

The deadline applies to various positions, including village mayors and two of the six village council seats in six municipalities: Attica, Bettsville, Bloomville, Green Springs, New Riegel, and Republic. In addition to these village positions, one township trustee position and the fiscal officer position are available in all 15 townships within Seneca County. Furthermore, two school board seats in each of the county’s school districts are also up for consideration.

Lori Elchert, Director of the Seneca County Board of Elections, emphasized the importance of early submission of petition paperwork. By submitting their petitions sooner, candidates allow themselves more time to address any potential errors or omissions by submitting an entirely new petition if necessary. Moreover, early submission contributes to minimizing wait times for both candidates and Board of Elections staff, as a surge of petitions near the deadline could cause delays. It is important to note that due to the large quantity of incoming petitions and the concurrent August special election, the turnaround time for verifying signatures may take longer than usual.

Prospective candidates can obtain the necessary petitions from the Board of Elections office. For any inquiries or clarifications, interested individuals are encouraged to contact the office at (419) 447-4424.

In addition to the upcoming general election, voters should be aware of the last day to register to vote or update their registration in order to cast a ballot in the August 8th special election. July 10th is the deadline for registration or any changes to voter information, such as name or address updates.

The board of elections will release more information regarding the upcoming election, including early voting hours, in the near future. Stay tuned for updates.