Lorain County Commissioners

Who Are The Lorain County Commissioners?

For more information, please visit LorainCounty.us.

As of 2012, The Lorain County Commissioners Board consists of Commissioner Ted Kalo (a Democrat from Lorain), Commissioner Lori Kokoski, and Commissioner Tom Williams (a Republican from Amherst).  The Lorain County Ohio Commissioners are based at the Lorain County Administration Building, 226 Middle Avenue, Elyria, Ohio 44035.   Their regular weekly board meetings are held every Wenesday at 9:30 AM.  The Board of Commissioners offices are located on the fourth floor of the administration building, and you can call them at (440) 329-5111. The elected office of Lorain County Commissioner is a four-year term.

The political campaign website addresses for the three commissioners are as follows — Tom Williams: www.loraincountyfirst.com; Ted Kalo: www.tedkalo.com; Lori Kokoski: www.lorikokoski.com

 

(Note: the information on this page is current as of the year 2012)

Map & Directions To The Lorain County Administration Building

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What Does The Board Of Lorain County Commissioners Do?

Ohio has 88 counties, and in most of these counties, a three-member board of county commissioners are elected to act as administrators for the counties.  The Lorain County Commissioners are in charge of all purchasing for the county, are the authority on taxing (tax increases & issues), and titles for property in the county are held by the commissioners.  They also oversee the Lorain County budget and appropriations to almost all of the county departments.

For the decisions that they ultimately make having to do with the Lorain County budget as well as policy making, the commissioners need to have a broad grasp of issues that include enforcing the law, developing business, the functions of different county departments, and revenue sources.

Additionally, the Lorain County Commissioners handle other county government functions such as the solid waste department, recycling and disposal, sewer and water districts, public hearings and making decisions on annexing issues, and many other decisions that have to do with county departments.

These departments fall under control of the Lorain County Commissioners: county administrator; board of commissioners; budget department; building department; Charles Berry Bascule Bridge; Children & Family Council; Clerk of the Board; Community Development; Dog Kennel; Emergency 9-1-1; Emergency Management & Homeland Security; Golden Acres Nursing Home; IT & Telecommunications; Job & Family Services; Lorain County Diner; Lorain County Transit; Mailroom; Maintenance; Office on Aging; Personnel; Port Authority; Purchasing; Records Retention Center; Sanitary Engineer’s Department; Solid Waste Management District; Special Project Management Office; and the Workforce Development Agency.

The Lorain County Administrator is Mr. James Cordes.

Lorain County Government Departments

Department heads for the following Lorain County departments are appointed by the Lorain County Board of Commissioners:

County Administrator
Budget
Building Department
Charles Berry Bascule Bridge
Children & Family Council
Clerk of the Board
Community Development
Dog Kennel
Emergency 9-1-1
Emergency Management & Homeland Security
Golden Acres Nursing Home
IT & Telecommunications
Job & Family Services
Lorain County Transit
Mailroom
Maintenance
Office on Aging
Personnel
Port Authority
Purchasing
Records Retention Center
Sanitary Engineer’s Department
Solid Waste Management District
Special Project Management Office
Workforce Development Agency

Q: When is the 2012 election day in Lorain County, Ohio?

A: The general election voting date in Lorain County is Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

A video of former commissioner Betty Blair talking about her time as a county elected official

Lorain County Government Department Heads

County Administrator
James Cordes

Budget Director
Lisa Hobart

Charles Berry Bridge Supervisor
Stan Koziura

Children & Family Council Director
Melissa Stefano

Clerk of Board
Theresa Upton

Community Development Acting Director
Donald Romancak

Dog Warden
Jack Szlempa

Emergency 911 Director
Robin Jones

EMA & Homeland Security Director
Tom Kelley

Golden Acres Administrator
Jeri Dull

IT & Telecommunications Director
Ernie Smith

Job & Family Services Director
Mary Lou Golski

Mail Room Supervisor
Ernie Smith

Maintenance Director
Dennis Shawver

Office of Sustainability
Mike Challender

Office on Aging Director
Patricia Littleton

Port Authority ExecutiveDirector
Glen Wilson

Purchasing Director
Susan Lux

Records Center Supervisor
Vacant

Sanitary Engineer
Ken Carney

Solid Waste Management District Director
Keith Bailey

Special Project’s Manager
Karen Davis

Transit Specialist
Pam Novak

Workforce Development Agency Director
Mary Murphy

Other Elected Officials Who Serve Lorain County Residents

Lorain County Commissioners Ted Kalo, Lori Kokoski and Tom Williams aren’t the only elected officials who serve the public in our county.  As of the year 2012, Lorain County residents are also represented by the following public office holders: Lorain County Engineer Ken Carney (Democrat); Prosecutor Dennis Will (Democrat); Sheriff Phil Stammitti (Democrat); Recorder Judy Nedwick (Democrat); Treasurer Daniel Talarek (Democrat); Clerk of Courts Ron Nabakowski and Auditor Mark Stewart (Democrat).

What Cities, Villages and Townships Do The Lorain County Commissioners Represent?

Lorain County has both vibrant, beautiful cities and smaller townships and villages that take pride in local agriculture, farming and small-town activities.  Following is a list of the different communities that make up our diverse county population.

 

Lorain County, Ohio Cities

• Amherst
• Avon
• Avon Lake
• Elyria
• Lorain
• North Ridgeville
• Oberlin
• Sheffield Lake
• Vermilion

Lorain County, Ohio Villages

• Grafton
• Kipton
• LaGrange
• Rochester
• Sheffield
• South Amherst
• Wellington

Lorain County, Ohio Townships

• Amherst
• Brighton
• Brownhelm
• Camden
• Carlisle
• Columbia
• Eaton
• Elyria
• Grafton
• Henrietta
• Huntington
• LaGrange
• New Russia
• Penfield
• Pittsfield
• Rochester
• Sheffield
• Wellington

A Brief History of Lorain County Commissioner General Election Campaign Candidates

Races for for the Lorain County Commissioner seats (which have four-year terms) are almost always contested, but not all three commissioners run for re-election in the same year.  The terms are “staggered,” with two commissioner seats being up for the voters to choose in Presidential election years, and the remaining seat on off-years.

Following is a list of candidates (Democrat, Republican and Independent) who have run campaigns for Lorain County Commissioner since the year 2000 (the winning candidate is indicated as well). Candidates who ran in the Democratic Party Primary and Republican Party Primaries are included after the General Election candidates below (in the past decade, there have been no Libertarian, Green Party, Independent or Tea Party candidates elected to this office).

2000

Republican Eric Flynn, Democrat Mary Jo Vasi (winner)

Republican David Moore (winner), Democrat Michael Ross

2002

Democrat Betty Blair (winner), Republican Eric Flynn

2004

Republican Eric Flynn, Democrat Lori Kokoski (winner)

Republican Rita Canfield, Democrat Ted Kalo (winner)

2006

Democrat Betty Blair (winner), Republican Rita Canfield

2008

Republican Nick Brusky, Democrat Ted Kalo (winner)

Democrat Lori Kokoski (winner), Republican Martin O’Donnell

2010

Democrat Joseph (Joe) Koziura, Republican Tom Williams (winner), Independent Mike Nunez, Independent Kirk Stewart

Democratic & Republican Primary Candidates In The Past Decade

Here is a comprehensive list of political campaign candidates who ran for their party’s nomination for Lorain County Commissioner since the year 2002:

2002

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Betty Blair (winner), Michael Nunez

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: No Contest

2004

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Jeff Fogt, Jack Kiroy, Lori Kokoski (winner), Mary Jo Vasi

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Ted Kalo (winner), Juan Molina Crespo, Michael Nunez, David Urig

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: No Contest

2006

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Betty Blair (winner), Alan Evenchik, Joshua Meszes, Michael Nunez

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: Rita Canfield (winner), Robert Reed

2008

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Lori Kokoski (winner), Dave George, Kathleen Rednour

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Ted Kalo (winner), Josh Meszes

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: No Contest

2010

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Joe Koziura (winner), Joshua Meszes, Ronnie Rimbert, Bret Schuster, Victor Stuart, Berry Taylor

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: Mickey Corbin, Tom Williams (winner)

2012

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: Phil Van Treuren

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: Bob Meilander, Michael Musto

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATS: Ted Kalo, Berry Taylor, Don Calhoun

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES: Lori Kokoski, Rich Resendez, Bill Grace

How You Can Register To Vote For Your Lorain County Commissioners

NOTE: The Ohio State Legislature recently approved a plan for Ohio voters to have two primary election dates in 2012.  Local candidates in Lorain County Democrat and Republican primaries will be chosen by voters on March 6, 2012.  The Presidential Primary election will be held on June 12.

So, where do you register to vote for your next Commissioner candidate?  It’s simple!  The Lorain County Board of Elections address is 1985 North Ridge Road East, in Sheffield Township.  You can visit the Board of Elections personally and register to vote (office hours are currently 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday), or you can call them for more information at (440) 326-5900.

To find out where to vote on election day (where your polling place or voting location is), please contact the Board of Elections.  They will ask for your address and tell you where to go to cast your vote on election day.

Remember, you can also take part in early voting or absentee voting in Lorain County, as well.  You can vote early in person at the Board of Elections, or you can have an absentee ballot mailed to your home.  Simply contact the Board with your mailing address and they will make sure that you receive a ballot (you have to affix your own postage before mailing it back).

The BOE can also assist you with questions about election results; taking out petitions to run for office; political subdivisions, precincts and districts; where to vote in your city; information on candidates, ballot issues and tax levy info; campaign donations and campaign finance reports.

The Lorain County Board of Elections members are Thomas (Tom) Smith, a Democrat; Robert (Bob) Rousseau, a Republican; Anthony (Tony) Giardini, a Democrat; and Helen Hurst, a Republican.  The Director is Paul Adams (Democrat) and the Deputy Director is James (Jim) Kramer (Republican).

Lorain County is home to many famous yearly festivals, such as the Lorain  International Festival, the North Ridgeville Corn Festival, the Wellington Cheese Festival and the Elyria Apple Festival.

More Information On Voting From the Lorain County Board Of Elections Website

Election Day Procedures

VOTING AT THE PRECINCT POLLING PLACE

Where do I vote on Election Day?

On Election Day, you cast your ballot at your precinct’s designated polling place between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. If you do not know where your precinct polling place is located, please contact your county board of elections. Please click here to perform a polling place search.

How do I cast my ballot?

Instructions for casting your ballot are posted in each polling place. If you have any questions about how to mark or cast your ballot, or if you have incorrectly marked a ballot, immediately contact a precinct election official for instructions before you continue.

May I receive assistance in voting?

A voter with a physical or mental disability, or a voter who is unable to read or write, may be assisted by anyone of the voter’s choice, except a candidate whose candidacy is being voted on in that precinct, the voter’s employer or the employer’s agent, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A voter may also be assisted by two poll workers (each of a different political party). No one who assists a voter may disclose any information about how that person voted.

In a primary election, how do I establish which political party’s ballot I am entitled to vote?

You may vote the primary ballot of the political party with which you currently wish to be affiliated. If you wish to vote a party’s ballot different from what you voted in 2009 or 2010, you must complete a statement at your polling place confirming the change in your political party affiliation.

May I vote on ballot issues at a primary election without declaring my party affiliation?

Yes. You may vote on the issues and questions, if any, to be voted on in your precinct by requesting an “issues-only” ballot.

Will I need an ID to Vote?

Yes. All voters must bring acceptable identification to the polls in order to verify their identity. Acceptable identification includes a current and valid photo identification; military identification; or a copy of a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill (including cell phone bill), bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a voter registration acknowledgement notification mailed by the board of elections, that shows the voter’s name and current address (including from a public college or university). Voters who do not provide one of these documents at the polling place will still be able to vote a provisional ballot as described earlier in this guide, and may provide such identification to the board of elections within the 10 days following Election Day. Voters who do not have any of the above forms of identification, including a Social Security number, will still be able to vote by signing an affirmation statement swearing to the voter’s identity under penalty of election falsification and by casting a provisional ballot.