Longtime Lake County Treasurer John S. Crocker announced that he won’t seek re-election and intends to serve out the remainder of his term.

Regarded as a kind man to people who know him, Crocker’s term officially expires Sept. 2, 2013.

However, the filing deadline to run for a four-year term as treasurer is in just a few weeks — Dec. 7.

Most potential candidates were likely waiting for Crocker to decide what he wanted to do, and now he has.

Only two people had officially taken out candidacy petitions as of Thursday: Mentor Democrat John McCallister and Eastlake Mayor Ted Andrzejewski, who is a Democrat.

Among other Democrats who might have an interest in taking out petitions?

To name a few, how about state Rep. Lorraine M. Fende, Mentor-on-the-Lake Mayor John Rogers, Crocker’s son John Crocker Jr., and former state Rep. Mark Schneider.

No Republicans had officially taken out petitions as of Thursday, but that will likely change in the upcoming weeks as the deadline to file approaches.

Mentor Councilman Scott Marn might generate some interest as a potential GOP candidate, as a vote-getter in the county’s largest city with a financial background.

If he isn’t interested, how about someone like former state Rep. Carol-Ann Schindel of Leroy Township, who is a CPA, or Charles Huebner of Mentor who ran against Crocker in 2008?

Bar Association verdict

Members of the Geauga County Bar Association recently took a poll as to what level they recommended three candidates for Chardon Municipal Court judge. The six-year term begins Jan. 1.

n Terri L. Stupica received 40 votes as highly recommended, 26 recommended, 11 not recommended, 11 had no opinion.

n Tim Synder received eight votes as highly recommended, 19 recommended, 32 not recommended, 29 had no opinion.

n Matt Lynch received three votes as highly recommended, 10 recommended, 56 not recommended, 19 had no opinion.

Possible Geauga candidates

Geauga County residents who have recently taken out candidacy petitions with the county Elections Board are Skip Claypool for U.S. Senator, U.S. House of Representatives Ohio’s 14th Congressional District, Ohio 18th Senate District, and county commissioner commencing Jan. 2 and Jan. 3, 2013; Diane Grendell for 11th District Court of Appeals judge term commencing Feb. 10, 2013; John Eklund for Ohio 18th Senate District; Tim Grendell for Probate and Juvenile Court judge unexpired term commencing Feb. 9, 2015; Mark E. Porter for Ohio House of Representatives 76th District; Gregg Soltis for commissioner term commencing Jan. 2, 2013, and for term commencing Jan. 3, 2013; Denise Kaminski for Clerk of Courts; Daniel McClelland for sheriff; Chris Hitchcock for treasurer; John M. Urbancic for coroner.

Geauga candidate filings

Forrest Burt filed petitions with the Geauga County Elections Board for Common Pleas Court; Tracy Jemison filed for commissioner term commencing Jan. 2; Mary Samide filed for commissioner term commencing Jan. 3, 2013; David Joyce filed for prosecutor; Sharon Gingerich filed for recorder; and Joseph A. Cattell filed for engineer.

Blessings and deadlines

Candidates, who — though email, fax or mail — would like to submit written lists of endorsements for the Nov. 8 election may do so and they will be published online until Nov. 4 at the Northern Ohio Politics Blog, where this column is also published each week. 

Please note, these are not endorsements by The News-Herald.

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: newsheraldjah