Mentor Patch's Guide To The November 2012 Election

There's no excuse for being an uninformed voter this November.

County, state and national races, as well as local levies, will be decided by voters like you.

So, without further ado, here's your primer to this year's ballot.

Both President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney have made several trips to Northeast Ohio while campaigning. Romney's vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan has also visited the region. Thus far, no Biden sightings.

Considering Ohio is a bellwether state and Lake County is a bellwether county, it would be more surprising if the Obama or Romney didn't return before Election Day.

While the presidential race is the headliner, that is far from the only issue on the ballot.

• Speaking of national elections, both Mentor's senior senator and its congressman are up for reelection.

Incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown will face Republican Josh Mandel, the Ohio treasurer, for the senate seat.

Meanwhile, Republican David Joyce, Dale Virgil Blanchard, Elaine Mastromatteo of the Green Party and Libertarian David Macko are all vying for Congressman Steven LaTourette's seat.

LaTourette initially won the Republican primary but chose not to run for re-election, citing fatigue with political brinksmanship.

Joyce, the Geauga County prosecutor, was appointed to run in his stead.

• Mentor was split in two during the state's recent redistricting, so where you live will decide on which Ohio Senate and House races you will vote.

If you live in the fourth ward of Mentor or Mentor-on-the-Lake, you'll be voting for the 60th district seat in the Ohio House. The corresponding state Senate district, the 25th, is not up for election this year.

Mentor-on-the-Lake Mayor and Democrat John Rogers and Republican Lori DiNallo will compete for the 60th district's House seat.

The representatives' 60th district is an open race without an incumbent because its current representative, Bob Hagan, now lives in the 58th district and will be running there.

Lake County Commissioner Daniel Troy won the Democratic primary but, similar to LaTourette, chose not to run. Rogers was appointed to take his place on the ballot.

• Meanwhile, the first, second and third ward of Mentor will vote for the Ohio House's 61st district and the state Senate's 18th district.

It will be Republican Ron Young and Democrat Susan McGuinness facing off on the November ballot for the House seat.

Young is the representative for the 63rd district. However, due to the redistricting, he now lives and is running for re-election in the 61st.

McGuinness is a registered nurse and the Lake Health Board of Directors chairwoman. Both candidates ran unopposed in the primaries.

Likewise, the state Senate race will be between incumbent John Eklund (R-Munson Township) and .

Both Eklund and Mueller ran unopposed in the November primary.

• Furthermore, Lake County has several races on the November ballot.

Democratic incumbent Robert Aufuldish will face John Hamercheck for a Lake County commissioner's chair while Democrat Judy Moran and Republican David Fiebig vye for Ray Sines's former chair on the commission.

Other Lake County races on the ballot include:

• Republican Bob Patterson and Democratic Ohio Rep. Lorraine Fende to be Lake County treasurer.
• Republican incumbent Charles Coulson and Democrat Werner Barthol for Lake County prosecuting attorney.
• Democrat incumbent Maureen Kelly and Republican Emilee Teresczuk for clerk of common pleas courts.
• Republican Jason Wuliger and Democrat Ann Radcliffe for county recorder. Wuliger recently became the incumbent in this race after he was appointed to replace the resigning Frank Suponcic.

The following people ran unopposed in the primary and will run unopposed in November:

• Court of Common Pleas JudgesRichard Collins Jr., Vincent Culotta and Eugene Lucci.
• SheriffDaniel Dunlap.
• County Engineer James Gills.
• CoronerLynn Smith.

Finally, Lake Metroparks has a 0.3-mill replacement and 0.5-mill additional levy on the ballot.

If the levy were approved, it would be a 0.5-mill increase from the levy that is in effect right now.

The new 10-year levy would produce $5.5 million per year while costing property owners $24.50 annually per $100,000 valuation, according to the Lake County Auditor's Office.

That is a $4.2 million annual increase from the current levy, which collects $5.80 per $100,000 valuation.