Columbus residents may have two candidates to choose from when voting for mayor this November. Joe Motil officially declared his candidacy today while submitting his petition signatures to the Franklin County Board of Elections for review and approval. The announcement follows incumbent Mayor Andrew Ginther’s declaration to seek reelection made in December.
“While collecting signatures to run for Mayor of Columbus since April of 2022, the excitement and support from Columbus voters has been overwhelming,” stated Motil. “During that time I continued my consistent commitment to improving our neighborhoods, the lives of everyday people, and the most vulnerable.”
Motil, a retired construction safety professional, has run for local and state offices multiple times over the past thirty years, seeking legislative offices on Columbus City Council and the Ohio House of Representatives. Motil has remained active in the community through service on Area Commissions and other nonprofit organizations, and has been highly critical of Mayor Ginther administration.
“Ginther has failed over the last 20 years as a Columbus Board of Education member, Columbus City Councilman, and Mayor,” stated Motil. “He is incapable of providing the necessary vision, leadership, and political courage to improve our crumbling, physical city, neighborhoods, and the lives of everyday people throughout Columbus. This city and its people cannot remain on this course under the failed leadership and mounting mistrust of our Mayor.”
While Columbus mayoral elections are run as nonpartisan, Motil’s candidacy as a Democrat challenger to Ginther — also a Democrat — echoes the 2015 mayoral race when Ginther faced off against fellow Democrat Zach Scott. Ginther ran unopposed in 2019, which means that no Republican has run for mayor in Columbus since 2011. Multiple emails to the Franklin County Republican Party about the 2023 election have gone unanswered as of the time of publishing this article.
If more than two candidates officially run for Mayor of Columbus, voters will narrow the field to two candidates during the May 2nd primary election. The general election takes place on November 7th.
In addition to this year’s mayoral race, Columbus City Council is transitioning to a district-based system with all nine seats up for election.