The Clerk of Courts may not be a well-known or prominent office like Congressman or County Commissioner, but if you’re getting a title for your car or you’re in a county courtroom, it becomes important.
Two men are running in the Republican primary for Ross County Clerk of Courts: Joe Weathersbee and Jordan Wheeler.
Aside from the Second Congressional District and two Ross County Commissioners seats, the only other contested Republican primary race in Ross County is that office. (There are no contested races in the Democratic Party, so those candidates will run unopposed in their party until the fall elections.)
According to the Ross County Clerk of Courts website, the officer “is responsible to the Common Pleas Court and Court of Appeals entering judgements and collection of court cost. The Title Department Division issues passport registrations.” The current officeholder, Democrat Ty Hinton, is not running again.
Jordan Wheeler (left) and Joe Weathersbee (right) explain their campaigns as Republican primary candidates for the Ross County Clerk of Courts.
Joe Weathersbee says his experience qualifies him for the office: Marine; police officer, including patrol, firearms instructor, SWAT, and detective; FOP union president and guest instructor for state lodge.
He also worked at Adena Regional Medical Center in outpatient endoscopy where he says he saved the department about $200,000 a year in ordering supplies.
Weathersbee says the Clerk of Courts needs to cross-train staff for efficiency, and must turn around paperwork in hours, not weeks. He says the Title Bureau is in better shape.
In his spare time, Weathersbee says he is the treasurer for the “Cigar Band” (more on them in another story), trustee for AmVets, and chaplain for the Elks.
Weathersbee does not have a webpage, but he has a campaign Facebook page and his email is kimberlafree@hotmail.com. Hear him in his own words in the video interview in the article on the Scioto Post. (After the five-minute mark, I asked him about his volunteer effort for the philanthropic “Cigar Band.”)
Jordan Wheeler works on the railroad as a locomotive engineer. He says he’s risen in the ranks of his union and represents 2,500 members and has promoted safety for them on the trains. He says unlike the stereotype of a union member, he is a solid conservative.
Aside from a paralegal degree he earned while a railroad employee, he has a degree in network support technology from the Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center.
He says he is good with computers and wants to bring efficiency to the Clerk of Courts, including modernizing the system with digital titles.
Find him on his website. His email is friendsofjordanwheeler@gmail.com. Hear him, also, in his own words in the video in the article on the Scioto Post.
I’ve done my best to cover all the Republican primary candidates for contested offices concerning Ross County; I hope I have helped make you a more informed voter!
Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including both video interviews.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.