MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—“Public service gets in your blood,” Marion Mayor Scott Schertzer said in regard to his 33-year career in the political arena in Ohio.
Schertzer, age 57, announced on Jan. 3, 2023, that he had decided not to seek a fifth term as mayor of the City of Marion, thus ending a career in Marion city government that began in 1999 when the Marion County Democratic Party Central Committee appointed him to fill a vacant seat on Marion City Council. He served on city council until 2007 when he decided to run for mayor. He ran four successful campaigns for mayor, holding the office for 16 years.
Prior to serving as an elected official, Schertzer played an active role in political campaigns for Mary Ellen Withrow when she ran for Ohio Treasurer of State and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.
During an interview on Nov. 30, Schertzer shared his thoughts about his career in politics and his views on the current political landscape. He said he believed now was the right time for him to end his career in local elected office, especially after consulting with his “kitchen cabinet” – comprised of his wife Ann and other family members, close friends, and fellow political colleagues.
“You just kind of know and I don’t really know how to explain it any more than that,” Schertzer said. “I remember after my second election, and I had just won, a local media personality asked me, ‘Are you gonna run again?’ I don’t know that my answer was the right answer, the best answer, but what it boiled down to at that point in time was if I was fortunate enough and the voters elected me to two more terms, that’d be 16 years. I thought that would be a good time to move on and try something else.
“That’s just how it worked out. It was kind of planned, but not really planned.”
In 2018, Schertzer was tapped by gubernatorial candidate Connie Pillich, a former state lawmaker, to be her lieutenant governor candidate. However, Pillich dropped out of the race shortly after announcing her candidacy.
Schertzer made an unsuccessful bid to become Ohio Treasurer of State in 2022, losing to incumbent Robert Sprague, a Republican, in the general election. Despite the loss, Schertzer said he thoroughly enjoyed being on the campaign trail and meeting people all over Ohio.
“I enjoy campaigning so much because it gets me out there among the people,” Schertzer said. “Last year’s campaign got me all over the state. It reminded me of the days when I first broke into the world of Ohio politics, driving Sherrod Brown around when he was secretary of state, working for Mary Ellen Withrow when she was treasurer, and also the short time I worked on John Glenn’s reelection campaign.”
Schertzer said he’s been approached about running for two offices in 2024, though he did not disclose which ones. However, he has chosen not to seek either one.
“I checked in with my ‘kitchen cabinet’ and we came to the conclusion – I think rightly so – that it’s not the right time and they’re just not the right offices for me,” Schertzer explained. “We’ll see what happens after that. I hope that I get the chance to run for public office again. … In the meantime, we’ll evaluate what my role is in Ohio politics and public policy. I want to stay engaged statewide and still try and make a difference.”
Schertzer said he is weighing other options, but is taking his time to make a decision on what to do in the next phase of his life. Including the time he taught at Elgin Local Schools (1996-2007), Schertzer said he has a total of 35 years in public employment.