Coughlin Files Case with Ohio Supreme Court to Run for Clerk of Courts

Former Sen. Kevin Coughlin filed a case with the Ohio Supreme Court to get the Summit County Board of Elections to certify his petitions to run for Clerk of Courts for the election in November.

The Summit County Board of Elections is looking into whether former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin violated campaign procedures during his run for Stow Municipal clerk of courts. 

The board said it was looking into whether Coughlin violated procedure by not forming a local campaign committee or filing a treasurer designation.

The Stow Sentry reports Cuyahoga Falls resident Don Nelsch claimed that Coughlin's history as a Republican meant his "'non-partisan' status was not made in good faith and is inconsistent with established standards for independent and non-partisan candidates."

"Everybody knows I’m a Republican. But I have the freedom under Ohio law to run for clerk of court as a nonpartisan candidate without giving up my Republican affiliation," Coughlin said in this previous WKSU audio interview. What they tried to say today is I don’t pass that non-affiliation standard. The problem is that standard doesn’t exist for clerk of court. ... And so we believe  they simply disregarded that law and made a political decision.”

He expects his case to be heard before the November election. 

Coughlin said in a prepared statement that "Ohio law gives clear instructions regarding the nomination of municipal clerks of court. The board of elections blatantly disregarded the law and abused its power to reject my candidacy. To make matters worse, they certified the petitions of another non-partisan candidate whose nomination is governed by the same law. I feel very strongly that the members of the board are using their positions to target and harass me. They may not like that I'm running, but they cannot deny my legal right to run."

View the entire case file on the Ohio Supreme Court docket. 

Related content:

• Here is a list of politicians that have endorsed Coughlin for clerk. 
• Republican Munroe Falls Mayor Frank Larson and Democrat Diana Colavecchio are also running for the clerk position in the general election.