Cindy Waugh Seeks Re-Election as Vinton County Auditor in May Primary

Cindy Ann Waugh has filed for the Republican primary ballot, seeking another term as Vinton County Auditor in a May 5 election that will put three countywide offices before voters simultaneously.

Waugh, who also appears in county records as Cindy Owings-Waugh, holds a leadership position with the County Auditors Association of Ohio and oversees an office that sits at the intersection of nearly every major fiscal decision in the county. Property valuations certified through the auditor's office determine the tax base that funds Vinton County schools, township fire departments, senior services, and county health programs. Levy calculations for each of those services run through the same office, giving the auditor a direct administrative role in how residents experience property tax rates year to year.

The 2026 ballot is unusually dense at the countywide level. The Commissioner seat opened after Tim Eberts announced he would not seek re-election, drawing five candidates who filed to replace him. The Probate-Juvenile Judge seat is also open. Several local levies are expected alongside the three countywide races, a combination that puts questions of tax stability and fiscal management near the center of local campaign messaging this spring.

Candidate filing ran through the winter and early spring windows, and the Vinton County Board of Elections will certify the final primary ballot as any remaining withdrawals are processed ahead of May 5.

Whether Waugh faces a Republican primary challenger or advances directly to November, the auditor's race will play out against two open seats and a levy slate that give Vinton County voters an unusually full ballot in both the spring primary and the fall general election.