Thursday, March 15, 2001
The state's chief elections officer said he should be allowed to intervene.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The Ohio secretary of state's office has filed a motion with the 5th District Court of Appeals asking to intervene in an action filed by Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere against the county elections board.
An assistant attorney general, on behalf of J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio secretary of state, filed the motion Wednesday in the court, which is based in Canton.
Officials at the appeals court said they do not know when a decision will be made.
Background: Altiere has asked the appeals court to force the elections board to certify his November re-election results.
The appeals court has given the elections board until Friday to certify the election or show cause as to why not.
Atty. Charles Ohlin, who represents Altiere, said he has received a copy of the request and must review it before making a comment.
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 here know Altiere.
What's behind this: The board has refused to certify Altiere's election because of questions surrounding his campaign finance reports.
The Ohio Election Commission and the county elections board are investigating allegations of campaign finance violations.
The elections board voted 2-2 in December along party lines on the certification of Altiere's re-election. Altiere is a Democrat.
The tie was referred to Blackwell, a Republican, who decided late last month not to certify Altiere.
Blackwell has stated in a letter to the elections board that Altiere's election should not be certified until the board has determined that Altiere has "fully complied with Ohio's campaign finance reporting laws."