Local Republicans Choose Next Ward 3 City Councilman

Victor Pallotta Jr., not Arden Barnhart, will fill the Ward 3 Cuyahoga Falls City Council seat.

In a surprise turn, the Summit County Republican Central Committee for Ward 3 voted 4-2 in favor of Pallotta, 64, Thursday night at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls. 

Committee member Cheryl Delmar was absent from the meeting. 

"I want to thank you all for entrusting me to this position, and I will do everything I can to uphold this position ... I'm looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that the post sets forth," said Pallotta following the vote. 

Barnhart, wife of former Ward 3 councilman Ken Barnhart, was originally selected May 21, but the appointment was nullified because the vote was  conducted by secret ballot versus public roll call. 

Pallotta will replace Ken Barnhart who resigned from Council on May 15 after serving for 16 years. 

He will have to win November's general election to retain the seat. 

Pallotta, a lifelong Cuyahoga Falls resident, is married with five children, and is a graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.