Appeals court: Certify Altiere

WARREN -- The 5th District Court of Appeals has ordered the Trumbull County Board of Elections to certify results of the November election in which Thomas Altiere was re-elected sheriff.
The court, based in Canton, issued the ruling late Friday afternoon.
The one-page ruling orders the board to issue a certificate of election to Altiere or to show cause why it has not by Friday.
The elections board can appeal the order to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Nettie Ashelman, a board of member, and Norma Williams, the director, said the board voted Friday to hire a lawyer to represent them in a lawsuit filed by Altiere regarding its failure to certify the results because of questions surrounding his campaign finance reports.
"I am just shocked," Williams said. "We didn't know they had already made a decision. We just hired an attorney."
George McQue of the Columbus law firm of Crabbe, Brown & amp; James was hired at $125 an hour during a special meeting Friday.
Williams said she will talk with him Monday to find out what the board can do.
Altiere and his attorney, Samuel Bluedorn, are pleased.
"I'm glad but I had no idea that it was coming so quickly," Bluedorn said. "I realize the elections board just hired an attorney, but I don't know why they waited two months to hire someone."
Altiere filed a lawsuit Dec. 21 with the 11th District Court of Appeals in Warren to force the board to certify his re-election to a third four-year term.
The board voted 2-2 along party lines on the re-election of Altiere, a Democrat.
The tie was referred to Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, who decided late last month not to certify Altiere.
The board, which is normally represented by the county prosecutor's office, was forced to hire outside counsel because the prosecutor also represents the sheriff.