With less than a week to go before the May 2 primary election, the Clermont County Board of Elections remains incomplete without a sitting deputy director.

For two months, attempts to determine a deputy director as part of a routine reorganization done every two years has resulted in stalemate on the board, which is composed of two republicans and two democrats. The stalemate revolves around the decision of whether or not to hire 14-year veteran deputy director Kathy Jones.

Jones, a Democrat, has been the target of repeated blocks by republican board members Tim Rudd and Rick Combs, who wish to see someone else in the position. Democrat members Paul Campbell and Dave Lane have remained staunchly in support of Jones, who they say is a trained asset to the county with her 14 years of experience. The most recent attempt to break the stalemate, April 17, met again with a tie vote and a correspondence sent to the secretary of state with hopes of a tiebreaking vote.