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LEETONIA -- Leetonia resident Dan Votaw, who's a teacher in the Lisbon school district, issued a press release recently about his run for the Democratic nomination for 79th District state representative.
"As your representative, I promise to never lie or mislead, and I will do everything I can to improve the lives of the people of the 79th District. I will work to improve public education, healthcare and public safety," Votaw wrote.
He'll face no opposition in the March 19 primary, but then in the fall, he'll go up against incumbent Republican 79th District state Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, Columbiana, who's seeking re-election to a second two-year term.
The 79th District includes all of Carroll County and the majority of Columbiana County, with the exception of Knox and Butler townships.
Votaw has teaching degrees in General Elementary Education (grades 1 through 8), Secondary English Education (grades 7 through 12), a Reading Instruction Endorsement (grades 1 through 12), and a Master's Degree in English Instruction. He's been a teacher in the Lisbon school district for 40 years.
Votaw said he's been an active member of the Lisbon Teachers' Union and coached football at various levels on-and-off for a dozen years.
He served as the Leetonia levy chairman from 2007 to 2010 and was elected to the Leetonia school board for two four-year terms from 2015 to 2023.
A lifelong resident of Leetonia, he said he's been happily married for 42 years to his wife, Michele, who was recently elected to the Leetonia school board. He also said he's the proud father of three children, and the proud grandfather of two.