The Seneca County Republican Party elected Donna Theis as their recommendation for the vacant position of Board of Elections deputy director.
Theis, who currently works as a clerk at the board of elections, received 18 of the 28 votes cast at the meeting.
"I appreciate all the central committee's support," Theis said. "I will do my best, and I hope that I will get the position when the board makes their final decision."
Other candidates included deputy of the Seneca County Auditor's office Suzanne Feasel, finance director of Richland County Children Services Board Kevin Goshe and attorney Susan Jones.
The deputy director has an equal amount of responsibilities and power as the director, and earns $40,000 a year, said Charles Knight, chairman of the board of elections.
Knight also said it was important that the new deputy director have some computer skills because technology is going to continue to be more important in the future.
The committee's recommendation was based on the four candidates who spoke at Tuesday night's meeting; other candidates still can apply for the position. The board of elections does not have to accept the Republican committee's recommendation, Knight said.
Any candidate for the vacant position at the board is required to be a registered and voting Republican because the director of the board, Andrea Carroll, is a Democrat.
The committee considered ranking each of the four candidates either highly recommended, recommended or not recommended, but after discussing in an executive session, the committee moved to select only one candidate. The vote itself was held in open meeting.
The board of elections is not to make a final decision on the new deputy director until Dec. 12 because the board needs to advertise the vacant position for a full seven days, Knight said.
The committee also discussed looking for candidates for the upcoming open primary election in March.
