Ohio gubernatorial candidate Heather Hill is taking legal action after being removed from the May 5 primary ballot following her running mate’s withdrawal.
Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate Heather Hill Challenges Ballot Removal in Court
A Republican candidate in Ohio’s gubernatorial race says she is taking legal action after being disqualified from the upcoming primary ballot.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced that Heather Hill is no longer eligible to compete in the May 5 primary election. The decision came after her running mate, Stuart Moats, officially withdrew from the race earlier this week.
Under Ohio law, gubernatorial candidates cannot replace their lieutenant governor running mate within 70 days of an election unless there are exceptional circumstances such as death. Following Moats’ withdrawal, LaRose stated that Hill could not continue her candidacy without an approved running mate.
Hill, however, claims she has not received formal notification of her removal and intends to challenge the decision in court. She said she visited the Secretary of State’s office with paperwork naming a new running mate, but officials declined to accept it. Hill described the move as “unjust” and did not disclose the identity of her replacement pick.
According to Hill, attempts to contact state officials have gone unanswered. She also stated that she had anticipated replacing Moats at a later stage, despite knowing he would initially need to appear on the ballot.
In response, LaRose’s communications director, Dan Lusheck, said Hill had been properly informed multiple times about the legal requirements and her ineligibility to replace a running mate after the deadline.
The situation follows a public dispute between Hill and Moats that played out on social media. Their partnership ended after Hill accused Moats of using a racial slur and described him as “violent” and “dangerous.” Moats denied the allegations and responded with personal attacks of his own, calling Hill unfit for office.
With Hill removed from the race, the Republican primary is now expected to feature candidates including Vivek Ramaswamy and Casey Putsch. The winner will go on to face Democratic candidate Amy Acton, who is running unopposed, in the November general election.
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