Although concerns were raised about the validity of candidate petition filings for Monroe County commissioner ahead of the March 17 primary election, Monday’s deadline to file an objection came and went without action.

“The Republican Party had concerns after learning that several Democrats, including Pat Kelly, signed and/or circulated Marvin Wittenauer’s petition for commissioner,” Monroe County Clerk Jonathan McLean told the Republic-Times on Tuesday. “After reviewing Mr. Wittenauer’s petitions, the party did not take any action.”

Locally, the only contested primary race this coming March will be on the Republican ballot for county commissioner.

The three county board members are elected to staggered six-year terms, with one commissioner’s seat on the ballot every election year.

Monroe County Board Chairman George Green is up for re-election in 2026, and he will face a rare inter-party challenge from Marvin Wittenauer.

Green is currently serving his first term as commissioner after being elected in 2020.

Monroe County Republican Central Committee Chairman Ed McLean told the Republic-Times last week that local party officials are “strongly behind George Green and will support his primary campaign to the fullest.”

Democrat Pat Kelly is running unopposed for the same seat on the county board. Kelly unsuccessfully ran against Commissioner Vicki Koerber, a Republican, in 2022.

The key issue at hand in the recent candidate filings involved the stipulation that prohibits a registered voter who has signed one candidate’s petition from also signing a petition for that candidate’s opponent for the same primary election. 

If one or more objection was raised as to the validity of a candidate’s petition to be on the primary ballot, a three-person election board would need to rule during a hearing on the matter. 

Signatures deemed invalid would then be removed from the petition and a subsequent count would take place to determine if this candidate had the required amount to appear on the primary ballot.