Ginther unopposed for 2nd term

City school board president, longtime member not seeking re-election this fall

Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther will run unopposed as he seeks a second term as the city’s top executive, while Columbus Board of Education President Gary Baker and longtime member W. Shawna Gibbs will not seek re-election in November.

Ginther was the only candidate for mayor to submit petition signatures to the Franklin County Board of Elections by Wednesday’s statewide deadline for inclusion on the May 7 Other candidates and issues in central Ohio, Page B5 primary-election ballot. He submitted more than 3,000 signatures Monday, needing at least 1,000 valid ones to get on the ballot.

“As your mayor, I’ve focused on expanding opportunity for every person in every neighborhood. I’m asking for your support again to continue building a bold, progressive future for the city I love,” Ginther, a Democrat, said in a written statement.

Baker, who has served since 2008, and Gibbs, who has served since 2006 and is the current board’s longest-serving member, didn’t file to run for another four-year term. The two will serve out their terms this year.

“Twelve years is a long time to serve in any one office,” Baker said.

The decisions by Baker and Gibbs will further shake up a board that already has added two members since November because of resignations and will welcome a new superintendent next month as a potential state takeover looms over the district.

Columbus voters also will choose four City Council members this year, and a primary is still possible for that race. Ten candidates filed petitions for the four seats on Wednesday. If at least nine candidates have enough valid signatures, that will trigger a primary on May 7. The Franklin County Board of Elections is to certify petitions Feb. 19.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Brown and Councilman Emmanuel Remy both submitted signatures to run as part of a slate with two placeholder candidates who probably will be replaced on

the ballot by appointees to open council seats.

Shayla D. Favor, a former assistant city attorney, was appointed in January to replace Councilwoman Jaiza Page, who was elected to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. This month, the council also is to select a replacement for Councilman Michael Stinziano, who was elected Franklin County auditor.

“We are planning to run a strong campaign on Columbus being the opportunity city and focusing on every person in every neighborhood,” said Joe Rettof, campaign manager for the incumbent slate.

Those council members — all Democrats — probably will face opposition from a faction within their party. Liliana Rivera Baiman, an immigrant and union organizer; Tiffany White, chairwoman of the North Central Area Commission; and Joe Motil, an outspoken critic of city officials, all are seeking the endorsement to become a slate under Yes We Can, a progressive organization within the party.

“Our campaign wants grass-roots, progressive change, and thousands of people have already shown that they want that, too,” Baiman said in a written statement.

Al Edmondson, Scott Singratsomboune and Nasandra Wright filed petitions for council seats as well.

No Republicans filed to run in Columbus municipal races. In a statement, the Franklin County GOP wrote that Columbus Democrats fill their campaign coffers with large contributions from developers and city contractors, which makes it impossible to compete.

“The outcome is already fixed. As has been true for a quarter-century, every incumbent will be re-elected. The outcome of every election is preordained because of the way municipal elections in Columbus are held,” the GOP said.

Of the six candidates filing to run for the school board, only one can be denied a victory in the fall.

James Ragland, who was appointed in November, was the only candidate to file for the unexpired twoyear seat previously held by Dominic Paretti, who resigned. Five candidates filed to run for the four other open board seats: incumbents Eric Brown and Jennifer Adair, who was appointed last month, and Tina Pierce, Carol Beckerle and Kimberley Mason.

There will be no schoolboard primary.