LAWRENCE COUNTY ELECTIONS Board will change over ballot measure

Judge Ralph D. Pratt will appoint three people to serve on the election board.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- There will be a few new faces on the Lawrence County Elections Board.
County commissioners, who serve on the board with elections director Marlene Gabriel, can't stay on the board for the Nov. 6 election because of a government study referendum, according to a legal opinion by election board solicitor Ed Leymarie.
Leymarie gave commissioners a copy of his legal opinion at Tuesday's meeting.
Gabriel said state law prohibits commissioners from serving on the board because they could be directly affected by the government study commission referendum. The elections director will remain on the board.
The measure: Voters will decide by referendum Nov. 6 if a commission should be formed to study different ways to organize county government. There will also be nine people elected to the commission who will convene only if the referendum passes.
Any recommendations made by the commission will go back to voters in the next general election.
County commissioners agreed to ask Judge Ralph D. Pratt of common pleas court to expedite a decision on who will replace them as members of the county elections board.
The board is responsible mainly for certifying election results.