Lawrence County’s auditor Jason Stephens announced on Tuesday that he is applying for another job, that of the soon-to-be-open position of Ohio House of Representatives, District 93.

Ryan Smith holds that position but he is leaving that position Thursday to be the president of the University of Rio Grande. That left another year on the position. Smith is term-limited and cannot run again for the seat in 2020.

Stephens said he has submitted his name and resume to the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives on Monday night requesting to be considered for the appointment to fill the rest of Smith’s unexpired term, which would be until January 2021.

“I am excited for an opportunity to serve southern Ohio. I bring a background of experience in local government,” Stephens said, adding that as auditor he deals with townships and school boards across the county. “So, having an understanding of that and knowing the challenges facing southern Ohio are different than other places, although across the district they are pretty similar. We have great people and I would be honored to represent all of us in Columbus. So, we will see what happens.”

Matt Ward, of Proctorville, had previously announced his intention to ask to be appointed to the seat, but his job prevented him from going up to Columbus on Monday to be interviewed.

“Matt is a very good friend, but his job requirements won’t allow him to serve as the representative,” Stephens said.

Once Stephens found out that Ward wasn’t going to run, he put in his resume.

“It is something I have thought about for a long time and thought it would be an opportunity to put my hat in the ring,” Stephens said.

The interviews for the seat will conducted on Monday in Columbus by a committee of four state representatives who were appointed by the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Larry Householder.

The last day to put in applications is Friday.

Stephens has served as a county commissioner from 2001-2011 and then ran to become the county auditor. He has been re-elected to that position three times, the last being in 2018 when he got nearly 65 percent of the vote.

If Stephens were picked for the Ohio Representative seat, his position as auditor would have another three years left to be filled. The Republican Central Committee would have to appoint someone to fill that.

He and his wife, Juli, the Ironton representative for congressman Bill Johnson, live in Getaway. They have three sons.

District 93 of the Ohio House of Representatives covers 116,725 citizens in most of Lawrence County except Coal Grove, Ironton and Hamilton Township, all of Gallia and Jackson counties and half of Vinton County.

Stephens, who is also the chairman of the Lawrence County Republican Party, said it has been since 1994 that anyone from Lawrence County represented the district.