TRUMBULL COUNTY Board given time in Altiere's case

The Trumbull County elections board now has until March 16 to issue a response to the appeals court.
WARREN -- The 5th District Court of Appeals has granted the Trumbull County Board of Elections a five-day extension to certify results of the November election in which Thomas Altiere was re-elected sheriff or to show cause as to why it hasn't done so.
The court, based in Canton, issued the extension Wednesday.
The appellate court had ruled Friday that the elections board must issue the certificate of election to Altiere or show cause why it has not by March 9.
Norma Williams, elections board director, said the board's lawyer, George McQue of the Columbus law firm of Crabbie, Brown & amp; James, will now have until March 16 to file a response to the court.
Background: The board has refused to certify Altiere's election because of questions surrounding his campaign finance reports.
Altiere filed a lawsuit Dec. 21 with the 11th District Court of Appeals here to force the board to certify his re-election to a third four-year term. The 11th District Court sent the case to the Canton court because the judges knew Altiere.
The elections board in December voted 2-2 along party lines on the certification of Altiere's re-election. Altiere is a Democrat.
The tie was referred to Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, a Republican, who decided late last month not to certify Altiere.
Atty. Sam Bluedorn, who is representing the sheriff, said he is not surprised that the appeals court granted an extension.
"I figured they would since Atty. McQue was just hired by the board last week," Bluedorn said. "I still believe we will win."