Wednesday was the last day for potential candidates to file petitions to be on the ballot. The list includes three students, two bike shop owners and the regional vice president of a yearbook production company.
There are 20 people vying to be elected into city positions, according to the Board of Elections on Wednesday, the last day to request to appear on the ballot in the upcoming election.
Three city candidates are running as Republicans, and all are students at Ohio University. None of the 17 Democratic candidates running are students.
Four of the candidates waited until the last day to file their petitions, said Carol Perry, a clerk at the Board of Elections.
One was Athens City Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, who is vying to keep her seat on council, whose term is up this year.
The only sitting council member not running for re-election is Steve Patterson, D-at large, who is running for mayor. Chris Knisely is running, but not for her at-large seat — she is running for council’s presidency position, vacated by Jim Sands, who left mid-term for health reasons.
Among the others who filed to appear on the ballot on Wednesday for at-large council seats are:
• Peter Kotses
• Sandy Golenberg
• Maxine Rantane
Golenberg is a semi-retired chiropractor at Muntean Health Care, 400 E. State St., he said.
“On council, my main concern will be the health and welfare of Athens citizens,” Golenberg said.
Rantane ran for council four years ago in 2011, she said, but was unable to devote the time necessary to win.
“Because I’ve been through this before, and I’ve been through the debates, I’m not nervous,” she said.
She said she serves on the city’s transportation committee and the county’s bike and pedestrian advisory committee.
Rantane also owns Cycle Path Bike Shop, 104 W. Union St., and said that has exposed her to people from all walks of life, which could serve as an advantage in her campaign.
“I like to talk to people and find out what their ideas are,” she said.
Kotses, who is running against Goldenberg and Rantane for an at-large seat, is also the owner of a bike shop: Athens Bicycle, 4 W. Stimson Ave.
Alan Swank filed his petition for at-large seat Monday. Swank, who is running as a Democrat, said his ability to see both sides of an issue would be a positive attribute for him to have in the office.
Swank said he has worked as a public school teacher, and currently works as the regional vice president of Balfour Yearbooks.
He said he wants to “advance” Athens by encouraging business development and improving city cleanliness.
“I’m very confident in my ability to go out into the community… and address the issues,” he said.
Swank formerly served as president of the Far Eastside Neighborhood Association.
Alan Trout, chair of the Athens County Democratic Party, said he was confident in his party’s chances for this year’s elections.
“I’m glad there’s a lot of interest from a diverse group of people,” Trout said.
Pete Couladis, chair of the county’s Republican party, was not available for comment as of press time.
The official list of candidates will not be available until Feb. 11, said Penny Brooks, deputy director for the Board of Elections. Until then, board employees are tasked with the responsibility of going through petitions and ensuring that all the signatures are valid.
In 2005, Republican at-large council candidate Jeff Yount was disqualified from running because six of the signatures on his petition were invalid, according to a previous Post report.
Ward council candidates require 25 signatures on their petitions, Brooks said. All other candidates need 50.
“Nothing’s official until the board certifies (the petitions),” Brooks said.
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