Friday, August 31, 2001
The candidates who were eliminated can file as write-in candidates.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Some didn't have the required number of signatures while others apparently forgot the date, where they live or how to sign their names.
Whatever the reason -- and there were some doozies -- the Mahoning County Board of Elections disqualified 10 candidates and four liquor options Thursday that were to appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
The candidates removed from the ballot have the option of filing as write-in candidates. The deadline to file as a write-in is Sept. 17.
Results: There is now one less person vying for the three four-year terms on the Youngstown Board of Education. Salina Covington had her petitions rejected by the board because she had 133 valid signatures. She needed 150. Nine people are running for the three seats.
Beloit Councilman Matt R. Hutton was tossed off the ballot because he didn't have enough valid signatures and he failed to sign his statement of candidacy, which automatically disqualifies a candidate's petitions.
New Middletown Councilman John F. Novicky is no longer on the ballot because he also didn't sign his statement of candidacy.
With Hutton and Novicky removed from the ballot, there are more spots open during the general election on their respective councils than there are candidates running.
Off the ballot: Others disqualified are:
USteven Scott Fannin and Larry Swallow as West Branch school board candidates. Fannin's problem is he's only 17 and will not turn 18 until next month. You have to be at least 18 to circulate nominating petitions. Swallow failed to sign his statement of candidacy and didn't have enough signatures on his petitions.
UKimberly Poma was removed as a Boardman Board of Education candidate because the address she had on her petitions is not the same address she has on file at the board of elections.
UMarilyn J. Bartholomew is no longer a Craig Beach village council candidate because she didn't date her statement of candidacy.
ULowellville Councilman Keith McCaughtry got signatures on his petitions before he signed his statement of candidacy, a no-no under state election law.
URichard Watson, a Smith Township trustee candidate, is off the ballot because he listed Nov. 6 as the date he declared his candidacy. It was actually in July.
UArrilous Beachman Sr. is no longer a Campbell school board candidate for a variety of reasons. The address he has on his petitions is not the address the elections board has for him, he did not sign nor date his statement of candidacy and he left portions of his statement blank. "Numerous petition defects" was how board director Michael V. Sciortino categorized Beachman's filing.
Four options removed: Also, the board removed four liquor options.
The petition for Sunday sales at the Army-Navy on South Avenue in Youngstown had 24 valid signatures. It needed 25 signatures.
The owner of West Glen Eatery on Glenwood Avenue in Boardman, who wants to sell beer there, turned in a petition with 300 signatures. Only 13 were valid; 55 were needed. Board Chairman Mark Munroe, who lives near the business, said West Glen's owner left the petitions out for any of his customers to sign when only those living in that precinct are eligible to do so.
The Meridian Ashland gas station on Meridian Road in Youngstown wanted to sell beer and have Sunday sales. But the petitions were tossed because there were not enough valid signatures.
Also, the board announced that Kathleen Duzzny, an Austintown Township trustee candidate, withdrew her petitions.
Those interested in appealing the board's decision to remove them from the ballot or anyone who wants to challenge the legitimacy of other petitions, which the board validated Thursday, have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to contact the elections board with their concerns, Sciortino said.
skolnick@vindy.com