Clark County competitive race, tax issues in May 2026 primary

Tyler Burson of Springfield votes in a booth at the Clark County Board of Elections on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. JOSEPH COOKE / STAFF

Tyler Burson of Springfield votes in a booth at the Clark County Board of Elections on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. JOSEPH COOKE / STAFF

Clark County residents will vote in a competitive Republican primary for county commission in the spring, as well as on tax issues and a charter amendment.

The deadline to register to vote in the primary is April 6, and early in-person and absentee voting begins April 7 and continues until Election Day.

The Democratic primary for Ohio House District 74 is no longer a competitive race as Darcy Bisker’s petition was invalid because she didn’t meet the signature requirements due to a defect in the petitions and a few of the circulator statements were not completed, according to the Clark County Board of Elections.

There are races where not enough candidates filed for a competitive partisan May primary. Some will see competitive races in the fall. Here are the competitive local races and issues on the Clark County primary ballot:

COUNTY COMMISSION (unexpired term)

Republicans

Daren Cotter, Springfield

Greg Kaffenbarger, New Carlisle

Mark Sanders, Springfield

Victoria Sorg, Springfield

TAX ISSUES

Clark County: 0.6-mill, 10-year property tax renewal to provide funds for the operation, maintenance and improvement of the Parks and Recreation System of the Clark County Park District.

Village of Enon: 2.5-mill, 5-year property tax renewal to provide and maintain motor vehicles, communications, other equipment, buildings, and sites for such buildings used directly in the operation of a police department, for the payment of salaries of permanent or part-time police, communications, or administrative personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required or for the payment of other related costs.

Mad River Twp.: 0.8-mill, 5-year property tax renewal to provide and maintain fire apparatus, appliances buildings, or sites therefore and providing protection against fire.

Mad River Twp.: 1-mill, 5-year property tax renewal to provide and maintain ambulance and emergency medical services.

Clark-Shawnee Local Schools: Additional income tax of 1% for 5-years for current expenses.

German Twp. (unincorporated): 1-mill, 5-year additional property tax for the general construction, reconstruction, resurfacing and repairs of streets, roads and bridges in municipal corporations, counties or townships.

OTHER ISSUES

City of New Carlisle: Proposed charter amendment to article VIII, section 8.01, 8.02, 8.03 and 8.05 remove the reference to section 6.01 of the charter regarding the appointment of the planning director, add that members of the planning board should possess the education and experience necessary to ensure that the board satisfactorily fulfills its responsibilities, add that council shall review the comprehensive plan as needed, and at least once every ten years, specify that members of the board of appeals may hold no other city office, except as otherwise provided in division D of section 8.05 of the charter, add that council is permitted to serve as the acting board of appeals when fewer than three members are appointed to and serving on the board of appeals.

Editor’s note: A version of this story ran in the Sunday, Feb. 22 Springfield News-Sun, but did not include the full list.

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