Both Parties Eschew Primary Contests this Cycle
The Evaluation of Candidates for the November General Election Begins Now
This column marks the opening of The Hilliard Beacon’s first electoral coverage cycle. We hope the upcoming series of pieces provides another testimony to the necessity of ongoing and supported local reporting. Thank you for your patronage and support - eds.
There is no primary election for Republican candidates for Hilliard City Council on May 2 owing to the withdrawal of Greg St. Clair from the field of Republican candidates.
The Franklin County Board of Elections acted to certify the three remaining Republican candidates for Hilliard City Council to the Nov. 7 general election ballot after the Board accepted the withdrawal of St. Clair on April 3.
The three Democrat candidates were previously certified.
Three incumbent members of Hilliard City Council are up for re-election Nov. 7.
They are Republicans Pete Marsh and Omar Tarazi, and Democrat Cynthia Vermillion.
Three Republicans and three Democrats will vie for the three open seats.
The Republican candidates are incumbents Marsh and Tarazi, and a challenger, J.T. Ysseldyke.
The Democrat candidates are the incumbent, Vermillion, and challengers Emily Cole and Greg Betts.
All six candidates are to appear on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Pete Marsh was appointed to City Council in 2017 and elected to his first term in 2019.
Marsh said he is seeking re-election to continue the important task of revising the city’s comprehensive plan, a guiding blueprint to commercial, residential and infrastructure development in the city.
“It’s a challenging paradox,” Marsh said of the typical desire of residents to have the amenities of a contemporary, urban community while maintaining a small-town atmosphere.
“It is a very difficult balance to achieve,” Marsh said.
Marsh, 42, owns Blue Oak Patio and Landscaping. He and his wife, Beverly, have three children between the ages of 4 and 10.
Omar Tarazi, 44, was appointed to City Council in 2019 and elected later the same year to his first term. He and his wife, Heather, have one son and one daughter.
Tarazi, an attorney, said he is seeking re-election to a second term to see through several important initiatives pursued during his first term, including the ongoing construction of a $68.9 million, 105,000-square foot community recreation and wellness center adjacent to Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park.
J.T. Ysseldyke, 23, is a 2018 graduate of Hilliard Bradley High School and a 2021 graduate of Bowling Green State University where he earned a degree in criminal justice and political science.
He is a legislative aide for Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), representing Ohio’s 12th House District.
Ysseldyke said if elected his goals are to further economic growth, increase the number of owner-occupied residences in the city, promote an open and transparent city government, and oppose tax increases.
Cynthia Vermillion was elected to her first term on Hilliard City Council in 2019, becoming the first Democrat elected to a city council seat in Hilliard since 1989.
Vermillion said she is seeking a second term to “continue to champion protection of the Big Darby area” and to “advocate for more multi-use trails” that connect Hilliard to regional trails.
As her first term nears and end, Vermillion cited her co-sponsorship of enacted legislation to expand civil rights under a non-discrimination ordinance among her most significant accomplishments.
Vermillion, 63, and her husband, Sam, have four adult children.
She is a relator at Coldwell Banker Realty.
Emily Cole, 32, is executive director of the non-profit Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change, and has lived in Hilliard since 2015. She and her husband, Wade, have two sons, ages 5 and 3.
“I’m running as a Democrat for Hilliard City Council to build a stronger, more inclusive, more vibrant Hilliard so all our families can thrive.”
Cole said if elected, she would use her “hard skills and heart” to “support our city as we navigate balanced growth with interconnected communities.”
Greg Betts, 55, retired two years ago as a colonel in the U.S. Army after 30 years of service and multiple combat tours in the Middle East. He and his wife, Kristin, have two adult children and four grandchildren and have resided in Hilliard for 25 years.
Betts said he is motivated to seek election to City Council by the same reason that inspired him to undertake an unsuccessful campaign in 2021 for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District: to stem the tide against attacks on America’s democracy and uphold his oath to defend the Constitution of the United States.
“Over the last few years, I have seen Hilliard become a more vibrant, welcoming and inclusive community. I want to keep it moving in that direction,” Betts said.
Look for additional articles and interviews from The Hilliard Beacon in the months leading up to the election. If *you* have questions for the candidates make sure to ask
and / or post in the open comments.