By Kevin Carr
Contributing Writer
Columbus Post

Last week’s election was a big win for the Democrats in Columbus. Many of the major candidates prevailed but there were also a few upsets and unexpected results. Probably the most historically significant upset was the election of Lori Tyack as the Franklin County Municipal Clerk of Courts.
The office of Franklin County Municipal Clerk of Courts is a significant win for the Democrats, and not just because it gained local power for the party. The magnitude of its significance also was not because Tyack defeated a Republican incumbent. Tyack made history last Tuesday as the first Democrat to be elected to this office... ever.
Since the inception of the office 81 years ago, the Franklin County Municipal Clerk of Courts has been a Republican. Its most recent clerk, Mike Pirik, a 22-year veteran of the court, was appointed in January 2004 when his predecessor became a Municipal Court judge.
With only a few well-placed yard signs (1,000 by her count), Columbus voters began to take notice of the name TYACK!
“This year was all about name recognition, and many people connected with the TYACK! sign,” Tyack told the Columbus Post. “I like to think they were unique, and people really did notice them.”
Tyack also got word out by knocking on an estimated 7,000 doors and making countless phone calls. “This is a public office. And what better way to get input from the public?” she said.

For more, please subscribe to the Columbus Post.