by Mark R. Potter
Regional Editor
Summit County -- Eight of the 11 Summit County Council seats will be up for election this November, while only one of them will face primary opposition March 4.
For District 3, which represents Stow, Silver Lake and part of Cuyahoga Falls, Republican incumbent Louise Heydorn will face a primary challenge from John Widowfield. Widowfield currently serves as Ohio House Rep. for District 42.
In the general election in November, either Heydorn or Widowfield will face Democrat Paul Colavecchio for the seat. Colavecchio will not be challenged in the primary.
The County Council filings for uncontested primary races include the following:
* District 1, representing Macedonia, Twinsburg, Boston Heights, Northfield, Peninsula, Reminderville, Richfield, Bath, Boston, Northfield Center, Sagamore Hills and Twinsburg Townships and part of the city of Akron: incumbent and Council President Nick Kostandaras (D) will face Republican Bill Roemer.
* District 2, representing part of Akron, Munroe Falls and most of Cuyahoga Falls: incumbent John Schmidt (D) will face Republican James Iona.
* District 4, representing part of Akron and part of Cuyahoga Falls: incumbent Frank Comunale (D) will face Republican Mike Hoover.
* District 5, representing Fairlawn, Copley Township and part of Akron: incumbent Democrat Cazzell Smith will run unopposed.
* District 6, representing Tallmadge and a part of Akron: Democrat Jerry Feeman will face Republican Charlie Lasher. Democrat incumbent Dan Congrove had filed to face Feeman in the primary; however, Congrove's name will not make the ballot because he did not get sufficient signatures, according to Board of Elections officials.
* District 7, representing Barberton, Norton, New Franklin, Clinton, part of Coventry and part of Akron: Democrat incumbent Tim Crawford will face Republican Mark Young.
* District 8, representing Green, Lakemore, Mogadore, Springfield, part of Coventry and part of Akron: incumbent Democrat Paula Prentice will face Republican John Jones.
The Council's three At-Large seats are not up for re-election this year.
The filing deadline for write-ins for the election was Jan. 2. Independent candidates have until 4 p.m. March 3 to file. No one has filed so far as a write-in or an Independent, according to Board of Elections officials.
E-mail: mpotter@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-686-3915