SUMMIT/MEDINA COUNTIES — Voters living in Summit and Medina counties will see local, state and federal races on the March 4 Primary Election ballot.

Jan. 4 was the filing deadline for the March election, which is earlier this year thanks to the presidential election.

Unlike four years ago, many Summit County races will be contested. Incumbent Drew Alexander, a Republican running for re-election for county sheriff, is the only countywide candidate running uncontested this November.

One of the larger Summit County races on the ballot is the county executive’s race. Democratic incumbent Russ Pry, who was appointed to the seat last summer when Jim McCarthy retired, will face former Ward 2 Akron City Councilman Joe Finley in the Democratic Primary. Finley most recently ran unsuccessfully against Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic last fall for the mayor’s seat. The winner will face Republican Jim Laria, current Akron Municipal Court clerk, in the November 2008 General Election.

Current longtime Summit County Council District 3 Representative Louise Heydorn will face a challenger in the Republican Primary from John Widowfield, current District 42 state representative. Widowfield most recently ran unsuccessfully for Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court clerk last November. The winner will face Democrat Paul Colavecchio in November.

Another incumbent facing a challenger this March is Democrat John Quinn, Summit County Domestic Relations Court judge. He will face Sharon Berg in the Democratic Primary. The winner will face Republican Edna Boyle, a former appointed judge on the 9th District Court of Appeals and Akron Municipal Court.

Summit County voters also will see six Common Pleas Court judge seats up for election. The creation of two new judge seats and the open seats of judges Marvin Shapiro and Mary Spicer, who are not running for re-election, have drawn a number of candidates.

The incumbent judges include Republicans Brenda Burnham Unruh and Judy Hunter, who are unopposed in the Republican Primary. Unruh will face Democrat Orlando Williams and Hunter will face Democrat John Fickes in November.

Akron Municipal Court Judges Lynne Callahan, Alison McCarty and John Holcomb, all Republicans, have thrown their hats into the ring for Common Pleas Court judge. Callahan will face Democrat Thomas Freeman in November, while McCarty will face Democrat Deborah Matz. Holcomb will face the winner of the Democratic Primary — either Jay Cole or Mary Margaret Rowlands — in November.

The other candidates include Democrat Robert Gippin, who will face the winner of the Republican Primary — either David Drew or Tom Parker — in November.

Voters have until Feb. 4 to register to vote in the March Primary. Summit County residents can contact the Summit County Board of Elections at (330) 643-5200; Medina County residents can call the Medina County Board of Elections at (330) 722-9278.

The following is a listing of races in the West Side Leader coverage area that will appear on the Primary Election ballot. An asterisk (*) indicates an incumbent.

Summit County executive
Democrat
(one to be elected)
Joe Finley
Russ Pry*
Republican
Jim Laria
Summit County engineer
Democrat
A. Alan Brubaker
Republican
Greg Bachman*
Summit County fiscal officer
Democrat
John Donofrio*
Republican
William Conte
Summit County prosecutor
Democrat
Sheri Bevan Walsh*
Republican (one to be elected)
Roe Fox
Nancy Mercurio Morrison
Summit County sheriff
Democrat
No candidate filed
Republican
Drew Alexander*
Summit County Council District 1 representative
Democrat
Nick Kostandaras Sr.*
Republican
Bill Roemer
Summit County Council District 3 representative
Democrat
Paul Colavecchio
Republican (one to be elected)
Louise Heydorn*
John Widowfield
Summit County Council District 4 representative
Democrat
Frank Comunale*
Republican
Mike Hoover
Summit County Council District 7 representative
Democrat
Tim Crawford*
Republican
Mark Young
Summit County clerk of courts
Democrat
Daniel Horrigan*
Republican
Mary Stormer
Summit County Common Pleas Court judge
(term commencing Jan. 2, 2009)
Democrat
Orlando Williams
Republican
Brenda Burnham Unruh*
Summit County Common Pleas Court judge
(term commencing Jan. 3, 2009)
Democrat
Thomas Freeman
Republican
Lynne Callahan
Summit County Common Pleas Court judge
(term commencing Jan. 5, 2009)
Democrat
Deborah Matz
Republican
Alison McCarty
Summit County Common Pleas Court judge
(term commencing Jan. 6, 2009)
Democrat (one to be elected)
Jay Cole
Mary Margaret Rowlands
Republican
John Holcomb
Summit County Common Pleas Court judge
(term commencing Feb. 9, 2009)
Democrat
John Fickes
Republican
Judy Hunter*
Summit County Common Pleas Court judge
(term commencing May 1, 2009)
Democrat
Robert Gippin
Republican (one to be elected)
David Drew
Tom Parker
Summit County Domestic Relations Court judge
Democrat (one to be elected)
Sharon Berg
John Quinn*
Republican
Edna Boyle
Summit County Juvenile Court judge
Democrat
Linda Tucci Teodosio*
Republican
Katarina Cook
Summit County Probate Court judge
Democrat
Elinore Marsh Stormer
Republican
Bill Spicer*
9th District Court of Appeals judge
Democrat
Eve Belfance
Republican (one to be elected)
Susan Poulos
William Wellemeyer

MEDINA COUNTY
Medina County commissioner
(term commencing Jan. 2, 2009)
Democrat (one to be elected)
John Sharkey II
Anthony Capretta
Republican
Steve Hambley*
Medina County commissioner
(term commencing Jan. 3, 2009)
Democrat
Brian Feron
Republican
Patricia Geissman*
Medina County coroner
Democrat
Dr. Neil Grabenstetter*
Republican
No candidate filed
Medina County engineer
Democrat
No candidate filed
Republican
Michael Salay*
Medina County prosecutor
Democrat
Dean Holman*
Republican
Mario Russica
Medina County recorder
Democrat
Larry Courtney
Republican
Colleen Swedyk*
Medina County sheriff
Democrat
No candidate filed
Republican (one to be elected)
David Centner
Neil Hassinger*
Medina County treasurer
Democrat
Mike Todd
Republican
John Burke*
Medina County clerk of courts
Democrat
No candidate filed
Republican
Kathy Fortney*
Medina County Common Pleas Court judge
Democrat
James Kimbler*
Republican
No candidate filed
Medina County Common Pleas Court judge (Juvenile/Probate Division)
Democrat
No candidate filed
Republican
John Lohn*

STATE
District 28 state senator
Democrat
Thomas Sawyer*
Republican
James Carr
District 41 state representative
Democrat
Brian G. Williams*
Republican
Randy Cole
District 42 state representative
Democrat
Mike Moran
Republican (one to be elected)
Richard Nero
Dennis Robart Jr.
District 44 state representative
Democrat
Vernon Sykes*
Republican
Adrian Sims Jr.
District 69 state representative
(Medina County)
Democrat
Jack Schira
Republican
William Batchelder*
State Central Committeeman
(Medina County)
Democrat
Michael Todd*
Republican
Donald Simmons*
State Central Committeewoman
(Medina County)
Democrat
Patricia Hanek*
Republican (one to be elected)
Sandra Calvert
Colleen Ragle
Ohio Supreme Court justice
(term commencing Jan. 1, 2009)
Democrat
Joseph Russo
Republican
Maureen O’Connor*
Ohio Supreme Court justice
(term commencing Jan. 2, 2009)
Democrat
Peter Sikora
Republican
Evelyn Stratton*

FEDERAL
U.S. president
Democrat (one to be elected)
Joseph Biden Jr.
Hillary Clinton
John Edwards
Dennis Kucinich
Barack Obama
Bill Richardson
Republican (one to be elected)
Rudy Giuliani
Mike Huckabee
John McCain
Ron Paul
Mitt Romney
Fred Thompson
District 13 Congressional representative
Democrat
Betty Sutton*
Republican (one to be elected)
Frank Chestney
Frances Kalapodis
David Potter
District 14 Congressional representative
Democrat (one to be elected)
Dale Virgil Blanchard
John Greene Jr.
Bill O’Neill
Republican
Steven La Tourette*
District 17 Congressional representative
Democrat
Tim Ryan*
Republican
Duane Grassell