From Eric Dondero:

According to the Columbus Dispatch, local Libertarian Party and Republican Party leaders agreed to pull some candidates for city council, in order to eliminate the need for a primary, and save taxpayer dollars.

Republicans Joe Healy and Alicia Healy and Libertarian Andrew S. Ullman agreed to withdraw from the race, leaving eight candidates for the four council seats open this year, said Brad Sinnott, chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party Central Committee.

The city charter requires a primary only if there are more than two candidates for each open seat.

Sinnott said that both parties agreed it was best to conserve their campaign resources for the November contest rather than fight one another for spots on that ballot.

"The Libertarians and the Republicans looked at the cost of a primary and took into account how wealthy the incumbent Democratic candidates will be because of the contributions from people who do business with the city and who want to influence policy decisions at City Hall," he said.

The Dispatch goes on to note that even though the two parties are cooperating in the election, for the November election they remain two separate party tickets.