“I’m really happy and I’m grateful to the voters in Butler County for giving me the opportunity, seeing what our team has been able to do for 14 years,” he told the Journal-News adding “Throughout the campaign we received an enormous amount of support and that just motivated us to continue working harder in the campaign knowing that the other side would go negative.”
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Reynolds was fighting to keep the job, despite also defending himself against four felony and two misdemeanor charges for bribery and using his office for personal gain, his trial has been delayed until December.
Dalesandro told the Journal-News he reached out to Reynolds to congratulate him.
“We always knew it would be an uphill battle, you know that going into it,” he said. “I did what I could do, I’m proud of what we did. I was honored to be on the ballot and give voters an opportunity, a chance to have somebody they could turn to.”
Reynolds told the Journal-News in an email during the campaign he hoped voters would consider he is innocent until proven guilty and reelect him based on his accomplishments.
If Reynolds is found guilty he faces up to seven-and-a-half years in prison. A guilty finding on any of the felonies means he must resign from office and the Butler County Central Committee would choose his replacement. They have between 5 and 45 days to make the selection and the appointed successor would fill out the remainder of the four-year term.
Butler County Treasurer Nancy Nix told the Journal-News if that happens, she will “probably stand for that appointment if that transpired.” She was a candidate for the job in the May primary — briefly — but backed out before the petition deadline.
Dalesandro was not a candidate in the May primary election, Dave Spurrier won a place on the ballot after receiving 838 votes as a write-in candidate. He told the Journal-News he was basically a “placeholder” for Dalesandro.
Both Reynolds and Dalesandro have experience as public servants. Dalesandro, a supply chain professional, moved his family to Oxford Twp. a year ago from Battle Ground, Wash. where he served as mayor and city council member for eight years. Reynolds, a certified public accountant, has been in office since 2008. He took over after former county auditor Kay Rogers was indicted in the Dynus scandal that started 18 years ago. She, former Butler County Commissioner Michael Fox and others went to federal prison.
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