McGlothin defeated William Lindsey in the primary election held in April due to the coronavirus pandemic. He received about 62% of his party’s votes compared to Lindsey’s 38%, according to results from the Clark County Board of Elections.
Hartley faced a primary challenge from Alex Muller, who withdrew from the race in February, but remained on the ballot. Hartley won his party’s nomination with 68% of the vote.
The winner in November’s election will serve a four-year term on the Clark County Board of Commissioners beginning in January.
Commissioner Lowell McGlothin
McGlothin was elected commissioner in 2016. He previously served on the New Carlisle City Council for 17 years as well as the city’s mayor for four years. He also worked in farmers insurance for 30 years and retired from the business after becoming a county commissioner.
“I would like to finish what we’ve started with the county. We have a lot of projects going on. A lot of buildings that we’re upgrading,” McGlothin said. “We’re building a 911 center for the county, and also, we have many projects ongoing at the fairgrounds of Clark County that I would like to see accomplished.”
McGlothin said his goals if reelected are to keep the accomplishments going for the county.
“My goals are to keep all of the accomplishments that are going at this point. To make it a better county for us to live in,” he said. “I think I work well with others, and our other two commissioners and myself have really worked well to continue the betterment of Clark County for all of our citizens.”
McGlothin said the biggest issues the county is facing are housing and jobs.
“Housing, new housing... We have some going in in Springfield and on the west side of the county. That’s an ongoing situation,” he said. “Jobs and keeping our young people in the county. Jobs for our young people. I think that’s the biggest.”
He said working together with the other commissioners and their staff has been one of his biggest accomplishment.
“We have a wonderful staff, and we seem to think on the same level which helps us get a lot of good things accomplished for our community,” he said.
David Hartley
Hartley, who served as a county commissioner for 10 years, has worked at International Harvester, was the director of Interfaith Hospitality Network and served on the Clark County Board of Elections.
He was elected to county commission in 2004. He resigned as county commissioner during his third term. He said it was due to frustration with the sale of a county building.
Hartley said he feels best qualified to be commissioner for the next term because of his honesty, integrity, experience, education and willingness to work hard.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Hartley said if he is elected, he plans to prioritize spending and creating a diverse workforce.
“Fiscal responsibility, to move back to a diverse workforce of county employees, and in general, prioritizing spending. The county budget is the most important thing that we do,” he said. "Creating a diverse workforce of county employees... and having all departments act ethically.
Other than the coronavirus, Hartley also thinks the biggest issues the county is facing are housing and drug abuse.
“I think that something that bothers me greatly is the number of overdose deaths that we have in Clark County, and housing issues are really important to me,” he said. “I think housing has got to be one of the biggest issues that we have to deal with. And I think it would be extremely important to create, to set up a drug treatment center.”
As a former director, IHN, the faith-based family homeless shelter, Hartley added that decent housing for everyone is a priority.
Hartley cites his work on what he described as reducing health care costs as one of his major accomplishments when he served as a commissioner.
“I think at least when I was there, solving the counties health insurance problems because we had wasted millions and millions of dollars. That was an accomplishment I was very proud of,” he said.
Bio boxes:
Lowell McGlothin
Hometown: New Carlisle
Family: Divorced; two adult sons.
Political Party: Republican
Political Experience: New Carlisle City Council, 17 years; New Carlisle Mayor, 4 years; Clark County Commissioner, 2016 to current.
Education: Attended Long Beach City College briefly in California after the Marine Corps; Licensing in insurance
David Harlety
Hometown: Springfield
Family: Wife; one adult daughter.
Political Party: Democrat
Political Experience: State Representative for Ohio House of Representatives, 1972-2000; Clark County Commissioner, 2005-2015; Board of Elections, 3 years.
Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of Louisville; JD from Capital University Law School
How to vote
Oct. 5:
Voter registration deadline. Ohioans can register online or until 9 p.m. at their county board of elections office
Online: Ohio Secretary of State’s office: olvr.ohiosos.gov
Clark County Board of Elections: 3130 E. Main St. (formerly E. National Rd.) Springfield, OH 45505
Champaign County Board of Elections: 1512 South U.S. Hwy 68, Suite L100 Urbana, OH 43078
Oct. 6:
Absentee ballots scheduled to begin being mailed to voters
Early voting begins
Early voting locations:
Clark County: (New location) Turner Studio Theatre at the Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 South Fountain Ave., Springfield
Champaign County: 1512 South U.S. Hwy 68, Suite L100 Urbana, OH 43078
Early in-person voting hours for October
Oct. 6-9: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Oct. 12-16: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Oct. 19-23: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Oct. 24: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Oct. 25: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Oct. 26-30: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Oct. 31: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Early in-person voting hours for November
Nov. 1: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Nov. 2: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Election Day
Nov. 3:
Election Day. Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters are able to drop off absentee ballot at their county board of elections office until 7:30 p.m.
About the Author
