SCIOTO COUNTY- While leaders like county commissioners, judges, the sheriff, and others are often a focal point when considering how well the local government is functioning. There are many other offices just as important in keeping the operations of the county successful. One of those offices includes the Scioto County Recorder’s Office. The seat is up for vote in 2024 and the primary will determine who will lead the race for the Democrats and Republicans.

County Recorder Gail Alley is seeking re-election as a Democrat. She is running unopposed in the primary and has been in office for nearly 12 years and in the department for a total of 32 years. Alley serves on the Ohio Recorders Association and serves on the Scioto County Records Commission Board with decades of experience leading her to office.

“I’ve been here for 32 years. I have the knowledge and understanding of everything in this office and how to run this office. This isn’t an easy office to just walk into and take over,” Alley said. “I have years of experience. I was hired under Irene Ashley and she taught me everything I needed to know to become the recorder and I enjoy what I’m doing. I have advanced this office very much in the past eleven and a half years and I am running for reelection because I want to continue this progress forward.”

On the Republican ballot, Steven (Will) Mault and Gary Jenkins are vying for the win.

Mault has been a lifelong resident of Scioto County going back eight generations. He has two family businesses that he has been a part of since the 1970’s and is a graduate of Portsmouth East High School and Shawnee State University.

“The first time I ran was in 2005, for mayor, and lost the mayoral race, but it was a good race and I met a lot of good friends,” Mault said. In 2018, I ran against Richard Noel, who was a World War II veteran. It was a contested race and one of the better races I’ve seen in Scioto County and I was part of it. It was very close, and I lost that race by 22 or 26 votes. Then, in 2016, I ran in the primary against Bryan Davis for commissioner and I lost that. I’m running again in 2024.”

Mault explained that he has a history of running and this isn’t a decision he made on a whim at the last minute to run for recorder.

“I’ve been involved in public service,” Mault said. “I’ve been a central committee member for 20 years in the Republican Party and I feel a need to be involved in public service and the opportunity presented itself to run for recorder on the Republican ticket, so I did.”

Jenkins began his venture in politics as an employee of the Trump campaign in 2020, where he worked in six counties. According to Jenkins, in the counties he worked, Trump carried a larger margin of victory than he did in 2016. While campaigning for Trump, Jenkins was attending school and working, saving his earnings to start a business that now employs 14 people. Previously, Jenkins ran for Portsmouth City Council.

“I’ve built my business from the ground up using conservative principles centered around financial responsibility and customer service,” Jenksins said. “I will bring the same mindset of fiscal conservatism and servant leadership to the Recorder’s Office. I am also proud to be the endorsed candidate by Commissioners Cathy Coleman and the Scioto County Republican Club.”

While they may not have websites, each of the three campaigns have Facebook pages, where you can reach out to the candidate and see their opinions on office. Gail Alley currently has 176 follows and has posted once in the past two weeks. Mault has 117 followers and has posted once in the past two weeks. Jenkins has 438 followers and has posted four times in the past two weeks.

The Portsmouth Daily Times will be following the election news coverage on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.