Hanover Township preps for trustee election with more candidates than usual

November is still seven months away, but five people have already pulled petitions to run for two seats as Hanover Township Trustees. If every candidate collects enough signatures to make it on the ballot, the election will be one of the most contested in the township since at least 2000, and one of the most contested in the county so far this year.

Hanover Township has three trustees elected to serve four-year terms. Two seats are up for grabs this year, while the third seat appears on the ballot the year before each presidential election.

None of the trustees have run contested races since 2017, when three candidates ran for two seats. In 2009, six candidates ran for three seats, filling an unexpired term in one case, and in 2001, four candidates ran for two seats.

Doug Johnson was one of the two candidates elected in 2001, and he’s served as a trustee ever since. He’s one of the five candidates who have pulled petitions so far in this year’s election, his seventh.

“The reason I’m running, I don’t want to turn it over to somebody that really doesn’t have Hanover Township at heart,” Johnson said. “I’ve had it for 24 years. I’m proud of it. It’s a great place to raise children and … a great place to live.”

If reelected, Johnson said he will continue to focus on essential township functions, particularly safety. He worked for the Butler County Sheriff’s Department for 38 years prior to retiring as a captain, and he currently serves on the county’s 9-1-1 Program Review Committee. Beyond supporting the township’s fire department and two contract officers with the sheriff’s department, Johnson highlighted the importance of crews which maintain 34 miles of township road.

In his 24 years as a trustee, Johnson said he has prioritized connecting with constituents, especially through the township’s park committee and veterans committee. This could be the most contested election Johnson faces, though he said he’s unsure why so many people have pulled petitions this year.

“The United States is a great democracy,” Johnson said. “I’m glad to see people run because I’m a little bit older, and I think you can get new ideas. I think it’s a great thing to see people participate in the election system.”

Jeff Buddo was first elected as a trustee in 2017, defeating then-incumbent Fred Stitsinger, and is also running for reelection this year. Buddo owns a landscaping business and first moved to Hanover Township in 2001. He quickly got involved on the park, veterans and land use committees, he said.

In addition to serving as a township trustee, Buddo is a member of the Butler County Board of Zoning Appeals and the rural zoning board.

Buddo said his priorities include continuing to improve the community park and working with the county on joint priorities like zoning. Even if he isn’t reelected, Buddo said he plans to continue serving the community.

“I want Hanover Township to be a better place than most places around, and I’m going to continue that if I get elected or I don’t win the election,” Buddo said. “I’m still going to be involved as a citizen to make it a better place for anybody and everybody.”

Newcomer Diana Ramsey is running for office this year after selling her small business, Kelly’s Bakery, last September. Ramsey has lived in Hanover Township for 28 years and is a graduate of Talawanda High School. She previously worked as a sales producer for a Fortune 500 company.

While she hasn’t run for a trustee position before, Ramsey currently serves on the township’s parks committee and has considered public office for years.

“Now, being retired, I’m willing to set forth the time and engage in the community and act as a liaison for them,” Ramsey said. “I care about the township I reside in, and I want it to continue to be one of the best townships in Butler County.”

Hanover Township is aiming to put a fire and EMS levy on the ballot this year, Ramsey said. While she’s campaigning for herself, she hopes to educate voters on the importance of funding the township’s fire department.

The township has also used grant funding to improve its park and other services, including by adding restrooms in the past year. Ramsey said she’ll continue to look for funding opportunities for new township projects if elected.

“I think my sales experience and my small business experience helps provide me with a variety of knowledge to be a trustee,” Ramsey said.

Cody Harper, a real estate agent who previously ran in the 2022 Republican primary against then-representative Sara Carruthers to represent the 47th District in the state legislature, has also pulled a township trustee petition. He was defeated in the primary, receiving less than 20% of the vote.

Harper did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

The final candidate to pull a petition so far is Clint Nigg, who is listed as an investigator with the Butler County Coroner’s Office. Nigg received a request for comment but did not take questions or respond in time for publication.

Nigg is one of two candidates so far to have filed his petition already, along with Johnson. Only Johnson’s candidacy has been certified as of April 2.