(This story will be updated as election results are tallied on May 5.)
Incumbents Alan Harold and Angela Kinsey, who took office as commissioner and auditor at the end of 2024, are poised to defend their seats in November after prevailing in Republican primaries.
Stark County voters have cast their ballots in the primary race, which determined party candidates for the November election.
With all precincts reporting, Harold and Kinsey each took more than 60% of the vote.
Election results are unofficial until certified by the Stark County Board of Elections.
Harold, Kinsey win Republican primaries for commissioner, auditor
Harold and Kinsey led in initial early votes and absentee ballots, and kept a significant lead throughout election night as results came in.
With 100% of precincts reporting, both candidates appeared to win their primary races.
In the race for Stark County commissioner, Harold had 19,088 votes and Joe Schultz had 10,463. Harold led with 64.59% of the vote to Schultz’s 35.41%.
On election night, Harold thanked voters for their support.
“I’m very grateful to the voters for their trust to give me the chance to run again in November,” he said. “I hope the voters will give me four years to have a full term to keep doing a job that I love doing.”
Harold is seeking to keep his seat on the three-member board of county commissioners, which oversees numerous Stark County departments and serves as the taxing, budgeting and purchasing authority for the county.
He’ll face Tony M. Townsend of Massillon in November, the sole Democrat to file for the position.
Harold, 50, of Plain Township, was appointed commissioner in 2024 after Janet Creighton retired. Harold was Stark County auditor before becoming a county commissioner. He was first elected auditor in 2010.
In the primary, he was up against Schultz, the 65-year-old mayor of Canal Fulton.
In the race for Stark County auditor, Kinsey had 19,786 votes and Scott Svab had 8,927. Kinsey led with 68.91% of the vote to Svab’s 31.09%.
In remarks on election night, Kinsey said she’d continue to campaign through November.
“I am extremely humbled and thankful for the support that Stark County gave me for this primary race,” she said. “The fight is not over, and I still have another election to win.”
The auditor is chief financial officer of the county and appraises property values, calculates tax rates and distributes taxes from levies and other sources. The auditor’s office also oversees dog tags, the county’s information technology department and geographic information systems.
She will face Chalice E. Brown of Alliance in the November general election, the only Democrat to file for the office.
Kinsey, 47 of Paris Township, was appointed Stark County auditor in 2024 after Alan Harold resigned to become a county commissioner. Kinsey has worked within the Stark County Auditor’s Office since 2011 and was the office’s executive administrator before taking on the top job.
She faced the 65-year-old Svab, who is vice president of Canal Fulton City Council and a farmer.
Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Harold, Kinsey win primaries for Stark County commissioner, auditor
Reporting by Grace Springer, Canton Repository / The Repository
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