Hearing challenging Mary McDonald’s bid to run for commission as Republican ends in deadlocked vote

TROTWOOD — For now, former Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald is still on the ballot for Montgomery County Commissioner.

>>PHOTOS: Board of Elections holds protest hearing on candidacy of commission candidate

On Tuesday the Montgomery County Board of Elections had a protest hearing about McDonald.

The hearing ended with the board deadlocked in a 2-2 vote.

McDonald, who is on the ballot now, stays that way after both sides expressed high emotions and a lot of election procedure arguments.

“The Court said you can not resign retroactively, you can’t engage in historical revisionism here,” Donald McTique said.

McTique represents a Montgomery County voter who did not show up for Tuesday’s hearing.

He told the board McDonald should not be on the ballot.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘Petty attacks;’ Mary McDonald responds to challenge for bid as Republican candidate

He claimed the former Trotwood mayor did not file her intention to switch parties form correctly and that her petitions were signed by voters from the wrong party.

McDonald announced a switch from Democratic to Republican parties last year.

Her lawyer had the opposite view.

He said she followed all state election laws that apply.

He accused the Montgomery County Democratic Party of trying to remove her from the ballot so an incumbent democratic county commission could run unopposed.

“The only way we get things done for people is that we learn to sit down and work together, that’s our job and it was not celebrated for me in the city of Trotwood and they have been a machine against me but I am determined and I do believe the citizens recognize that difference,” McDonald said.

Now all the information and written arguments will be sent to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office where a decision will be issued by the end of next week.

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