Ryan Ottney (New Boston Village Council At-large, Ohio, candidate 2025)

Ryan Ottney

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Democratic Party

Candidate, New Boston Village Council At-large

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

Shawnee State University

Personal

Birthplace

Portsmouth, Ohio

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Ryan Ottney (Democratic Party) is running for election to the New Boston Village Council At-large in Ohio. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Ottney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ryan Ottney provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 13, 2025:

• Birth place: Portsmouth, Ohio
• High school: New Boston
• Bachelor's: Shawnee State University
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Writer / Editor
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes

Elections

General election

The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.

General election for New Boston Village Council At-large (2 seats)

Ryan Ottney, Michael Meehan, and Jon Mills are running in the general election for New Boston Village Council At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Ryan Ottney (D)
	Submit photo	Michael Meehan (Independent)
	Submit photo	Jon Mills (Independent)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ryan Ottney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ottney's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lifetime resident of New Boston, Ohio, and a graduate of New Boston School. I have been a local journalist, reporting important news and events in the community. I left journalism to shift into communications and politics. My grandfather, Charles "Burr" Ottney, was a longtime mayor of New Boston, and former Scioto County Democratic Party Chairman. I also served as party chairman between 2019-2021.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am running to preserve transparency, communication, and public access for the people of New Boston.
• The most important thing we can do as a council is protect our budget and spending, and use those public dollars wisely to provide the best services to the community.
• With my years of experience already on New Boston Village Council, I am best prepared to continue serving the needs of the community.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Preparing the village for the future through new technologies and business development, and improving the quality of life for residents through parks, activities, and beautification.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

National politics may not always affect your daily life, but local politics will. Local councils maintain the streets you drive on, the police and fire that protect you, the traffic lights, garbage pick up and more. National politics is the world you see on TV. Local government is the world you see outside your front door.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, transparency, and ethics. It's not about getting credit or attention for myself; it's about helping the village.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I just want to be remembered as someone who tried, despite all the challenges against him. Someone who cared for others and for his community, and never compromised his values to get ahead. I want to be remembered as someone who inspired others to do the right thing, even when nobody is watching.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I bused tables at Damon's Bar & Grill in Portsmouth for more than a year. I learned a lot about the struggles of hard-working families struggling to get by on minimum wage.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Shining, by Stephen King. I actually don't like horror very much, and especially horror movies, but The Shining is such a dramatic, character-driven story that goes much deeper than ghosts and monsters.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience helps by giving us a deeper knowledge and understanding of the issues facing our village, but it's really just about finding people who care enough to step up and give their time to help shape their community.

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I was talking to an 80-year-old man who just finished earning his GED. He served his country and had a great job. He didn't need it, but he said he did it for himself, and it was the proudest he's ever been of anything he'd ever done. It was touching and inspiring.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I'm still here. It's difficult to be progressive in a conservative area, but I have not let that stop me from standing up and speaking up for people who don't have the platform that I have been given. It's a responsibility to use it not for personal gain but to help others who aren't being heard.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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