CIRCLEVILLE – In the 2021 Elections a resolution to start a draft to a charter commission was passed by Circleville Voters that would change the government of the city. Now the Pickaway Republican Party has voiced its opinion on some of the provisions that may be drafted.
According to a press release, the Pickaway Republican party says that it will, “strongly publicly oppose” any charter commission that drafts provision stripping party affiliation from the ballot for candidates for City Council.
The Party said the reason for the opposal would be, “there are substantial public policy differences between the various political parties with respect to numerous municipal policy issues, including, but not limited to, firearms ordinances, efforts to fund or “defund” the police, tax policy, regulation of
property rights, and law enforcement, in general; and, the inclusion of party affiliation on the ballot for candidates to City Council is an important identifier for voters to signal where candidates are likely to stand on these issues of public policy.”
According to the charter commission currently, these items have been discussed during regular meetings, but they have not placed any provision in the current charter that would strip party affiliation.
Past Charter language for the city that was turned down by voters in the past did have the language.
“Voters in the City of Circleville have spoken very clearly over several election cycles to elect an all-Republican City Council, and their wishes should not be undermined during the charter process by removing this important information from the ballot,” said Pickaway GOP Chairman Mike
Whitten. “No proposed City charter can pass without the support of the Pickaway County Republican Party, and so we urge the Charter Commission to retain party affiliation for Circleville City Council in any proposed charter.”
