Spencer Remoquillo | Lancaster Eagle Gazette

LANCASTER — The Fairfield County Board of Elections is investigating a complaint against Ohio House candidate Kryssi Wichers' eligibility to vote, which if validated, would eliminate her candidacy.

Board of Elections Director Jane Hanley said she reached out to attorneys and is looking into the complaint that was filed Tuesday by a Pickerington resident, who is a registered Republican. Wichers, a Libertarian candidate, is running for the 77th District seat against incumbent State Rep. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and Democrat Brett Pransky in the Nov. 6 election.

While the complaint questions Wichers' ability to vote under the name registered, Hanley said one requirement of a candidate is to be a registered voter. This means if the complaint is valid, Wichers would not be able to run.

A hearing has been set for 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the elections board office, 951 Liberty Drive in Lancaster. Hanley said it would be up to the board to make a final determination.

The complaint claims "Kristen Victoria Wichers" registered to vote in Fairfield County at a Lancaster address on Jan. 25. Afterward, however, she continued using the name Kristen Victoria Jones in legal proceedings in a felony identity theft case in Franklin County the Eagle-Gazette had previously reported on.

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Throughout this case, the complainant alleges Wichers was referred to as "Jones," including when she filed an affidavit of indigency for court-appointed defense counsel.

Wichers' campaign responded to the accusation saying it was a simple name change after she was married in September 2017. Wichers said she can provide tax filings, a social security card issued in 2017 and a state identification card that shows her legal name is Wichers.

Wichers is referred to as Jones during the court process because the traffic stop the charges stem from occurred in 2016, according to her campaign.

In February, Wichers pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of falsification and OVI. She was sentenced to five days in jail with two days suspended and to ordered to pay a $560 fine. The felony charges were then dismissed.

Wichers also filed petitions to run for state representative as "Kryssi Wichers" in July.

"It is unclear whether the registrant's true legal name is Jones or Wichers, but no elector or candidate should be permitted to vote or run for office using a false name," according to the complaint. "Complainant respectfully urges this Board to investigate and ensure that Jones, who has a past criminal record ... establish her true identity and eligibility to vote."

In response, Ohio's House Republican Caucus issued a statement on Thursday agreeing that Wichers should clarify her identity:

“It doesn’t take long to realize that there are a lot of unanswered questions related to Kryssi Wichers and her candidacy for state representative,” said caucus spokesman Brad Miller in a media release. “At the very least, we are calling on Kryssi Wichers to set the record straight and to clarify her true identity and her eligibility to vote in the 77th House District.”

Wichers' campaign said her opponents are attempting "to force Ms. Wichers to prove statements that never were true and suppress this specific woman's right to vote."

Harold Thomas, chair of the Libertarian Party of Ohio, responded to the allegation in a prepared statement:

"This looks like an application of 'if you make the lie big enough, people will believe it.' Obviously, the GOP is expecting us to prove a negative. This should be exposed for the heinous tactic it is, as well as a desperate attempt to hold power by a party that is proving itself incapable of offering any constructive solutions to the real problems that Ohioans face."

sremoquill@gannett.com

740-681-4342