The interim Pike County Sheriff has officially filed his paperwork to run for the seat in next year’s election.
Jim Nelson, who was appointed interim Sheriff in July, filed his paperwork with the Pike County Board of Elections as a democrat. He will seek the position in the November 2020 election.
Nelson was appointed interim Sheriff after Charlie Reader was suspended by the Supreme Court of Ohio after Reader was indicted on 16 charges. Reader’s trial is in April. If Reader hangs a jury or is found not guilty, he would resume his position as Sheriff until the end of his term, which would expire December 31, 2020.
Reader announced earlier this month that he was going to run for re-election as an independent candidate and would be filing his paperwork by the March deadline. No law prohibits Reader from running for re-election during his criminal due process as long as he is not convicted.
No republican candidate has filed to run for the position, and no democrat has filed to challenge Nelson in the primary. The deadline for partisan candidates is December 18. The deadline for independent candidates is in March.