Three incumbents lead pack in Toledo City Council race

9/12/2017
BY MARK REITER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • CTY-primaryelection12p

    Workers organize the memory cards into boxes for the machines for counting for counting at the Lucas County Board of Elections for the primary election in Toledo on Tuesday.

    THE BLADE/KURT STEISS
    Buy This Image

    • All five Toledo City Council incumbents topped a field of 13 candidates on Tuesday's primary ballot and will move on to the Nov. 7 general election.

    Incumbent Councilman Sandy Spang, an independent, alongside endorsed Republican incumbent Rob Ludeman and endorsed incumbent Democrat Larry Sykes were the top-three vote getters.

    “The fact that I have done my research, been principled, and completely independent has resonated with voters,” said Mrs. Spang, who is seeking a second four-year term. “I am very grateful of the votes.”

    Of the council hopefuls, only Thomas Names, an unendorsed Democrat, did not make the final list of candidates attempting to be at large members on the legislative body for the next four years.

    The top 12 finishers from the nonpartisan ballot will face off in eight weeks for six at-large seats on council.

    Mr. Ludeman is vying for a third term as councilman at large after serving 14 years as the District 2 councilman.

    Mr. Sykes said he believes his high finish is because of his many decades of service in the community. He is a member of the Lucas County Children Services board and has served as commissioner for the Metroparks of the Toledo Area and on the board of the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority.

    “My work speaks for itself,” he said. “People know me and they respect me for what I do.”

    Other top finishers were endorsed Democratic incumbent Cecelia Adams, Harvey Savage, Jr., a Democrat who is executive director of Kitchen for the Poor, and endorsed Democrats Gary Johnson, Nick Komives, Sam Melden, and Kurt Young, endorsed Republicans Patricia Robinson and Alfonso Narvaez, and Democrat Clyde Phillips, Jr.

    Mr. Young, a lawyer in private practice, was appointed to council in April to fill the at-large vacancy left by the resignation of Theresa Gabriel.