WARREN — The Republican field for Trumbull County auditor is going to be crowded with at least three declared candidates and possibly a fourth.

Among the declared candidates for the May 5, 2026, Republican primary are incumbent Martha Yoder; Stacy A. Marling, Bazetta fiscal officer and Mahoning County chief deputy auditor; and Mike Loychik, a former two-term state representative.

Also, Niki Frenchko, a former county commissioner, has pulled petitions to run for auditor, commissioner and for the 14th Congressional District in the May GOP primary, according to the county board of elections.

Yoder, who won the 2022 auditor election by 3.4% over Democrat Tod Latell, said of a reelection bid: “Of course I’m running. I don’t quit. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.”

Before Yoder was elected auditor, the position was held for decades by Democrats. But the once-solid Democratic county has switched in recent years to become reliably Republican.

Loychik announced Tuesday that he would run for the auditor’s seat in the GOP primary.

The founder of two businesses, Loychik served two terms in the state House and chaired the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committee. Loychik unsuccessfully ran in the 2024 Republican primary for a state Senate seat.

Loychik said: “I’m running for county auditor because the people of Trumbull County deserve discipline, integrity and transparency in the auditor’s office. My priority is to ensure families are not being taxed out of their homes. I will work closely with state legislators to reconstruct tax policy for the betterment of all Trumbull County residents. Under my administration, when elected, taxpayers will be able to live more comfortably and confidently.”

Marling has been campaigning for county auditor for several months. She has worked for the Mahoning County auditor’s office since 2004 and has served as its chief deputy auditor since 2015.

Marling also has served as Bazetta fiscal officer since April 2021. She was elected in November 2021 to an unexpired term and then in 2023 to a full four-year term.

“I am committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility and ensuring that the resources of our county are managed effectively for the benefit of all residents,” Marling said in March.

Yoder and Marling were at the center of a court case involving $80,857 in tax money stolen by hackers.

The Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals on Oct. 29 unanimously affirmed a Trumbull County Common Pleas Court decision that the county auditor’s office was responsible for the missing money and had to pay it to the township.

Bazetta trustees passed a resolution in summer 2024 allowing Marling to request early payment of 2023 second-half real estate taxes, as allowed by Ohio Revised Code.

The county treasurer settled accounts with the county auditor in August 2024 for taxes collected since February of that year, including money owed to Bazetta.

But hackers broke into Marling’s email when multi-factor authentication was off and using that email, the criminals told the auditor’s office to switch the township’s deposit bank. A county auditor employee made the change and over several weeks, more than $160,000 of township funds went to the wrong account.

The township discovered the scam when expected payments never arrived.

All but $80,857 was recovered with the appeals court upholding the April ruling of Judge Sarah Thomas Kovoor of Trumbull common pleas court that Yoder had to pay the township the remaining money.

Frenchko was first elected county commissioner in 2020, beating longtime incumbent Democrat Dan Polivka.

Frenchko pulled petitions in the 2024 Republican primary for both county commissioner seats on the ballot. She chose to seek reelection, losing the primary to Rick Hernandez by 18.6%.

No Democrats have pulled nominating petitions for the position or declared their candidacy as of Tuesday.

Kathy DiCristofaro, the party’s vice chairwoman and political director, said party officials have had discussions with a person who might be interested in running for auditor. DiCristofaro declined Tuesday to disclose the name of the potential candidate saying it would be premature.

Feb. 4 is the filing deadline for the primary.