DELAWARE, Ohio - The head of the Delaware County Republican Party has asked one of the county's commissioners, who filed to run for an open seat on that board even though his term hasn't expired, to withdraw from the May primary election.

DELAWARE, Ohio � The head of the Delaware County Republican Party has asked one of the county�s commissioners, who filed to run for an open seat on that board even though his term hasn�t expired, to withdraw from the May primary election.

Party Chairman Robert Mann said he is worried that voters will feel cheated if they vote for Commissioner Ken O�Brien only to find out that his election means that the party will appoint his replacement. Mann wrote to O�Brien yesterday asking him to remove his name from the ballot.

�I think people rightfully expect that if somebody�s name is on the ballot, that you�re electing or re-electing them to that office,� Mann said. �If you vote for Ken, you�re basically voting to have our Delaware County Central Committee elect the next commissioner.�

O�Brien, who has been a commissioner since 2009, filed to run in the GOP primary because he had hoped to oust Commissioner Dennis Stapleton. The two frequently disagree, sometimes heatedly, on county policies and issues.

Stapleton, though, decided not to run for re-election. O�Brien kept his name on the ballot anyway.

O�Brien said yesterday that he does not intend to withdraw. He said he wants to keep another Republican-primary candidate, Genoa Township Trustee Barb Lewis, from winning the seat. He said he also hopes to replace the county�s economic-development director, Gus Comstock, and to have more influence over where sewer lines are laid in the county.

The county�s two other commissioners believe that Comstock is doing a good job and have not been willing to fire him.

�As it is now, I�m getting outvoted� on the board, O�Brien said. �So (by running), I�m able to go out and campaign, and people are becoming more aware of the unfairness.�

Because O�Brien�s term doesn�t expire for three years, if he wins in May and November, he will take the new seat and vacate his current one. The county GOP�s central committee, which has a representative from each precinct, would elect his replacement.

Mann said he doesn�t believe that is fair. �So many young people have a jaded view of politics already, and I think if something like this happens, it�s just going to help feed cynicism for the electoral process,� he said.

larenschield@dispatch.com

@larenschield