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2 candidates are tracked for Licking County Commissioner on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Kathy McLeish and Mark A. Van Buren. Candidate information follows official Licking County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Open seat: incumbent Rick Black is retiring after 12 years in office, per local news coverage. Mark A. Van Buren (R), who briefly held the seat in 2008 filling a vacancy, faces Mary "Kathy" McLeish (D), per the Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Brian Belcher filed as a write-in candidate and does not print as a name on the printed ballot.
McLeish is a Newark resident with 20 years of experience in public education, including work as an early childhood education specialist, an administrator at River View Local School District, regional director for the Child Care Resource Network covering 11 counties, and director of the Licking County Children and Families First Council, per local news coverage. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 10, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Kathy McLeish.
Van Buren is a lifelong farmer and small business owner from Hebron who has served as a Harrison Township trustee and briefly held the county commissioner seat in 2008, filling a vacancy, per local news coverage.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Responsible growth and smart infrastructure investment
- Fiscal responsibility and support for public safety
- Protecting farmland and rural character
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-10.
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