Time to file for the May primary

The May 5 primary may seem like a long time from now, but filing season is on-going right now.

February 4 is the deadline for candidates to file their petition to be on the ballot. Monday, just the second person in Muskingum County submitted his petition for approval of the board of elections. Zanesville City Councilman David Tarbert formally announced his candidacy to run for city law director Monday.

“One of the reasons for the switch right now is I’m comfortable with council,” Tarbert said. “This council, right now, is the most hardworking, the most intelligent, the most active, the most fearless council that I’ve had the privilege of working with. So it’s a good time for me, I think, to step away from council and again use my two decades of experience and my education to move on as city law director.”

Currently, Tarbert is the only person who has filed to run for city law director. The only other person who has completed the petition process is running for city council-at-large. Director of the board of elections, Chris Hamill explained how people can get the filing process going.

“They’ll just need to come in and pick up the petition and circulate it either city wide or in their ward,” Hamill said. “They can contact our office, and we can give them the information about running. Once they pick up the petition we’ll go through the instructions.”

To run for city or county office people must have their petition turned into the board of elections by February 4, at 4 p.m.