Filing Day!!!

For Immediate Release: February 26, 2008
Contact: Tim Kettlerkettler-media@hughes.net
(740) 502-6453

Green Party Candidate Files for 20th District Ohio Senate Seat

Tim Kettler of Warsaw today filed a nominating petition for the 20th District Ohio Senate Seat in the General Election to be held November 4, 2008. Citing the District’s immediate need for job creation, alternative energy development, health-care reform, verifiable elections, and equitable funding for education Kettler said he will bring an independent voice to the Senate race. “As a Green Party Candidate I am pledged to refuse any and all campaign contributions from corporate and special interests. When elected officials are sent to Columbus to represent the interests of their District more often than not these types of contributions influence their decisions in a way that does not represent the greater needs of their constituents”, he said.

Kettler has been involved with healthcare reform for the past four years as a state council member of the non-profit Single Payer Action Network of Ohio and supports the passage of the Health Care for All Ohioans Act. “As a self-employed small businessman whose family members have pre-existing conditions I know personally the obstacles Ohio’s current for-profit health-care system presents. There is no light offered at the end of the tunnel and it is time for fundamental change in the way health-care services are delivered. The Health Care for All Ohioans Act is fully-funded legislation that offers us the opportunity to fix our health-care crisis for the benefit of our businesses, workers, citizens and all Ohio taxpayers” Kettler stated.

Running as the endorsed Ohio Green Party Candidate, Kettler completed the required petition submitting over 2000 signatures. The Green Party is not recognized by the State of Ohio as an official political party. Their candidates must comply with election laws that compel Independent candidates to gather 25 times more signatures than the major party candidates are required to obtain in order to appear on the ballot. “The rules written by the two major parties are obviously intended to limit participation by third parties and Independents and are a direct cause of the overall low participation by Ohio citizens who never register, vote or run for elected office”, said Kettler

Tim is married with one son, Malcolm and resides in Coshocton County outside the village of Warsaw. He serves as the Secretary of the Green Party of Ohio and has operated Action Septic Service with his wife, Roberta for the past 21 years. As one of the organizers of the 2004 Ohio Presidential Vote Recount he was a co-plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell resulting from the recount. He also ran for Ohio Secretary of State in the November 2006 election drawing two percent of the vote statewide. “I would like to thank the over 2000 voters and residents of Senate District 20 who signed my petition and support my candidacy” Kettler said in closing.

Just a Note:
The Muskingum County Board of Election was very efficient in handling today's filing. The Director and Deputy Director both assisted, checked all my paperwork, provided copies and counted all the signatures by petition count. They came up with the same number as we did!
They also were very accomodating in our filming the entire process. Although no media attended (Hillary was in town) we did shoot a press statement outside the office in the lobby and will have that up on the site soon.

Onward!!