YOUNGSTOWN MAYOR Race for top job holds no suspense

The council president defeated the same challenger in 1997 by a 3-1 margin.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The race for Youngstown mayor is more interesting for who isn't in the race than for who is.
It was a foregone conclusion that Mayor George M. McKelvey would seek re-election to his second and final four-year term in the May 8 Democratic primary. Term limits prohibit a third term.
There was talk of a minority candidate's stepping forward to challenge McKelvey, and county Republicans were looking for a primary candidate.
Neither materialized.
Lost earlier: Donald P. Connelly, a tow-truck company owner who lost to McKelvey by an 80-1 margin in the 1997 Democratic primary, filed to run, but the board of elections threw out his petitions.
He's running in the primary as a write-in candidate.
That virtually assures that the mayor will move on to the Nov. 6 general election. As it stands now, there is no one officially in his way of a second term.
Those wanting to run as independent candidates have until May 7 to file for the November election.
Still thinking: Percy Squire, a Columbus attorney, has collected enough signatures on nominating petitions to file as an independent and is leaning toward running, but the native Youngstowner has not made a decision.
If Squire does run, he can expect a legal fight over his eligibility.
The city charter says all mayoral candidates "shall have been an electorate of the city for five years." The charter is not specific if those five years have to be the most recent ones. Squire recently changed his voter registration address to Youngstown from Columbus, but he has voted more than five times as a Youngstown resident in the past.
Squire said if it appears he cannot legally run or cannot win, he will not file. He plans to make a decision right around the May 7 filing deadline.
McKelvey is running on a platform of setting higher standards for city employees and improving the quality of life in Youngstown.
There will be a race for council president in the Democratic primary.
Charles P. Sammarone is being challenged by Patrick E. Lowry, who lost by more than a 3-1 margin when he ran as an independent in the 1997 general election.
Abilities questioned: Lowry questions Sammarone's leadership abilities.
For example, he said, Sammarone has failed to intervene and settle conflicts between council and the arena board.
"Leadership from the council president could smooth over the bumps," he said. "We need a more active and out-front council president. As long as he's been in office, people don't know him."
Lowry also said he would be more involved in neighborhood organizations and push for a comprehensive plan for the city.
Sammarone, council president since 1990 and a former six-year councilman, said his experience is one of his main qualifications for the office. This would be Sammarone's last four-year term in office because of term limits.
Sammarone lists the key issue as working to keep a good relationship between council and the mayor. He said he has a good rapport with both.