06-02-2025
Here's what's on Franklin County's primary ballot: Columbus City Council, school board
There are contested races for three seats on the Columbus City Schools Board of Education, and council seats in the Columbus, Hilliard and Whitehall in the May 6 primary election in Franklin County.
In addition, the county Board of Elections reports three school districts have bond issues on the ballot and there are levies sought several townships, most for police or fire services.
The deadline to file for the May 6 ballot was Wednesday afternoon, and candidates' petition signatures still need to be verified. Here's what could be contested on the primary ballot.
Five people are running in a nonpartisan primary to replace Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor on the council and represent District 7, which includes much of Columbus' urban core neighborhoods like Downtown, Franklinton, Olde Towne East, Italian Village and German Village.
The District 7 candidates are:
Kathryn Curry-Da-Souza, network director of the Success by Third Grade program at the United Way of Central Ohio
Aurora Dasan, a former political science student who would be the council's first transgender member
Densil R. Porteous, executive director of Stonewall Columbus
Tiara Ross, an attorney in the Columbus City Attorney's Office
Jesse Vogel, an attorney at Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS) Ohio who's raised over $70,000 in grassroots donations
As for the three other council seats on the ballot this fall, Council members Chris Wyche (District 1) and Emmanuel Remy (District 4) and Council President Pro Tempore Rob Dorans (District 3) are facing no challengers.
Columbus only holds primaries for city council if more than two people file for a race. Thus, there will only be a primary for District 7.
Related news: Columbus City Council appoints Otto Beatty III to District 7 seat vacancy
After a series of crises rocked the Columbus City Schools Board of Education, 13 people have filed to run for the three seats on the ballot this year, necessitating a primary.
The current holders of the seats, Board President Michael Cole and Board members Christina Vera and Ramona Reyes have decided not to run for reelection.
The candidates in the nonpartisan race are:
Liz Caslin-Turner
Yasmine Farah
Teresa Hannah
Patrick Katzenmeyer
Ivory L. Kennedy, Jr.
Jermaine Kennedy
Janeece Keyes‐Shanklin
Karrie Lumpkin
Mounir F. Lynch
Kimberley Mason
Antoinette Miranda
Tracey L. Sigers
Julie Trabold
Hilliard is one of the few cities in the area that has partisan local elections. Seven Democrats filed to run for the four city council seats on the ballot this year. Four Democrats will advance from the primary.
The Democratic candidates are:
Samer Bazerbashi
Tina Cottone (incumbent)
Dorothy Hassan
Tony Moog
Kathy Parker-Jones
Nadia A. Rasul
Andy Teater
As only three Republicans filed to run for Hilliard City Council, they will not hold a primary. Those candidates are Les Carrier, Jim Martin and Bevan Schneck. They will compete in November against the four winning Democrats for the four council seats.
All four members of Whitehall City Council who represent wards are up for election this year. For Wards 1, 3, and 4, two candidates filed for each race.
But three candidates filed to run for Ward 2, necessitating a primary from which two will advance. Those candidates are:
David F. Coleman Jr.
Brian McCann
Micole Spicer
Three suburban school districts that are partially in Franklin County and partially in neighboring counties are asking for bond issues for facilities construction:
Groveport Madison Local School District is asking for 2.33 mills ($82 for each $100,000 of appraised value for 37 years).
Jonathan Alder Local School District is asking for 5.12 mills ($179 for each $100,000 of appraised value for 37 years).
Teays Valley Local School District is asking for 3.26 mills ($114 for each $100,000 of appraised value for 37 years).
There are also multiple townships with levies on the ballot, most of them for police or fire levies. Mifflin Township, however, is asking residents to approve both a police and a fire levy. Here are the issues on the primary ballot:
2025 Primary Questions and Issues Filed by Jordan on Scribd
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus, candidates across Franklin County file for May primary
