The Franklin County Democratic Party will decide next week whether to endorse in some key city council and school board races, but the chairman says they likely won’t weigh in on a tightly contested three-way race for Columbus City Council District 7.
The candidates in that race, Kate Curry-Da-Souza, Tiara Ross and Jesse Vogel are racing through the final month before the May 6 primary. They’ve taken questions at candidate forums on bike lanes, tax abatements and how to aid Columbus’ growing homeless population.
One of the most important endorsements a candidate could get in central Ohio is a nod of approval from the Franklin County Democratic Party.
While Columbus City Council is technically a non-partisan race, the candidates aren’t shy about their political alignments. Ross and Vogel are registered Democrats, while Curry-Da-Souza tells voters she is an independent candidate.
Curry-Da-Souza is an independent, meaning she isn't registered with a political party.
Any of the dozens of candidates running in school board or city council races around the county could get an important leg up with a county party endorsement. Their names and faces go on a slate card — or sample ballot — that party volunteers mail and hand out to voters before they cast their ballots.
“Basically the endorsement is our kind of stamp of approval for your candidacy and can obviously... help you with party folks but also generally with the voters," Franklin County Democratic Party Chair Michael Sexton told WOSU.
Sexton said the sample ballot is important, helping everyday voters who want that sample ballot get guidance and see who the party is supporting.
Meredith Freedhoff, chair of the Franklin County Republican Party, said that sample ballot from the Democrats can really influence voters.
“We are a county that's a majority Democrat, so I think that probably would have added value," Freedhoff said. "For the Franklin County Republican Party, it doesn't as much."
There could be a big change in the process this year, mimicking the party's choice not to endorse in last year's Democratic primary for Franklin County Prosecutor.
Sexton said the Franklin County Democrats aren’t interviewing candidates for a possible endorsement in the District 7 race. He said the party normally screens candidates in a committee. That committee then recommends a candidate for the entire county party's approval.
Sexton said he doesn’t think an endorsement will happen for the primary, but they may make a choice before November’s election.
“It's a truly open seat. It's the only one on council. This is kind of a a family issue right now within the Democratic Party. Once we see what the voters are going to do, we'll take a look at the general election.”Franklin County Democratic Party Chair Michael Sexton
The party could still hold a floor vote on April 17 to decide whether to endorse for Columbus City Council, bucking what Sexton said.
A non-endorsement happened last year when Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor won a three-person race for her new role. Favor previously held the seat that's up for grabs on Columbus City Council.
The county Democrats' screening committee initially recommended Favor's opponent — former Assistant County Prosecutor Anthony Pierson. Favor then asked the party the day of the endorsement vote not to endorse any of the three candidates.
Favor's bet paid off. She not only lobbied successfully for no endorsement, but went on to win the primary.
Favor declined to comment for this story and has not yet endorsed in the race for her old seat.
Every member of the Columbus City Council has weighed in, endorsing Ross for council. Ross also won the endorsement of other prominent Democrats, including former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman.
The support is buoying Ross' campaign after it was revealed she owed almost $3,800 in unpaid parking tickets.
Vogel won the endorsement of the LGBTQ+ Stonewall Democrats caucus in Franklin County and Columbus City Schools' board member Sarah Ingles.
Curry-Da-Souza won the endorsement of former mayoral candidate Joe Motil. Motil is an outspoken critic of Mayor Andrew Ginther, who has not endorsed yet in the race.
Vogel said the party should follow the precedent Favor set.
“More than ever it's important that we're running strong primaries and letting voters choose who they want, rather than having political bosses put their finger on the scale," Vogel said.
Curry-Da-Souza agrees and says voters should have a free choice without those scales being tipped.
“I'm looking for support from the community and that is the endorsement that I am looking for," Curry-Da-Souza said. "And so I understand the Democrats have a process for their endorsement and I respect that.”
Ross told WOSU in a statement she supports the party’s decision not to endorse in the primary. She says she thinks this allows the party to unite afterward. She declined to take questions on the topic at a candidate forum Tuesday evening.
Sexton said he doesn’t think the party will stay out of all primary races in the future.
“You’ve got to look at it by each race. There's no magic wand to any of this," Sexton said.
Sexton says the county Democrats could still endorse in the crowded 10-person primary for Columbus City Schools and other races like the seven-candidate race for Hilliard City Council.
