Republicans to the Ballot for May 2nd Primary. *Updated*

Both parties muster full slate of candidates for fall elections

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Four Republicans and three Democrats met the Feb. 1 filing deadline at the Franklin County Board of Elections and the petitions of all seven candidates have been certified to appear on the ballot, according to Aaron Sellers, public information office for the Franklin County Board of Elections.

Three seats are up for grabs on the Nov. 7 general-election ballot.

Incumbent Republicans Pete Marsh and Omar Tarazi are seeking re-election, as is incumbent Democrat Cynthia Vermillion.

Two Democrat challengers filed petitions: Greg Betts and Emily Cole.

Because the number of Democrats who filed is equal to the number of open seats, no primary election is necessary and all three candidates will advance to the general election in November.

However, two Republican challengers filed petitions in addition to the pair of incumbents so those four Republicans are to be whittled to three candidates in the May 2 Republican primary.

In November, the three Democrat candidates and the three Republican candidates are to vie for three open seats.

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 the 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, and his wife, Beverly, have three children between the ages of 4 and 10 and are the owners of Blue Oak Patio and Landscaping.

Omar Tarazi, an attorney, is the current president of Hilliard City Council, and is seeking election to a second term.

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 said he is seeking re-election to see through several important initiatives pursued during his first term, including the planned construction of a $68.9 million, 105,000-square foot community recreation and wellness center adjacent to Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park.

A groundbreaking for the facility is set for April 14.

Republican challengers include J.T. Ysseldyke, 23.

Ysseldyke 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 12^th House District.

“As a lifelong resident of Hilliard, I want to help shape what Hilliard is to look like for the next generation. Hilliard is struggling to stand out against (cities like) Dublin, Upper Arlington and Grove City, and I think I have the solutions to make Hilliard a front-runner with innovations that other cities will look toward.”

Greg St. Clair is a graduate of the Ohio State University and Hilliard High School. Being a lifelong resident of Hilliard “has given my family a front row seat to the city’s growth and evolution,” St. Clair said.

St. Clair said there is a difference between governing and leadership, as the former is exercising authority and the latter is guiding and impacting outcomes.

“I will commit to helping guide (Hilliard’s) future success,” St. Clair said. “While serving the public, elected officials need that balance between governing and leadership needs to be achieved.”

On the Democrat side, no primary is required and the three candidates certified last month are to wait until the Nov. 8 general election.

They include Cynthia Vermillion, an incumbent completing her first term on City Council.

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.”

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 15 th
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 (and) I want to keep it moving in that
direction, where everyone has a voice, feels included and has an equal
opportunity to succeed. If elected, I’ll use my Army leadership experience to
make things happen for the people of Hilliard,” Betts said.

*This Story will be updated as more candidate information becomes available.