MAHONING COUNTY Parties clarify deadline for judicial candidate

Mahoning Democrats will choose their judicial candidate Wednesday.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning Democratic and Republican parties will have until Aug. 18 to select a candidate for the November ballot to replace retired Judge Robert Lisotto.
The Mahoning County Board of Elections made that decision Friday after consulting with the Ohio Secretary of State's Office and the Mahoning County Prosecutor's Office.
The prosecutor's office will issue a written opinion Tuesday, but gave a verbal one Friday to election officials, said Thomas McCabe, the board's deputy director.
Confusion over date
There was confusion over the date by which the parties had to select candidates to replace the judge in the November general election because there are conflicting state laws, McCabe said.
But after talking Friday with officials at the county prosecutor's and secretary of state's offices, it was decided that an older state law that contradicts a more current law is outdated and unconstitutional, McCabe said.
An e-mail from secretary of state officials to McCabe states that the older law was ruled unconstitutional in 1960 by the Ohio Supreme Court and again in 1984 by a state appellate court. But the state Legislature never repealed the provisions.
There was concern that the parties had to select a candidate by July 12.
That deadline does exist for nonparty candidates. Anyone wanting to run as a nonparty candidate has to turn in petitions with at least 750 valid signatures to the election board by July 12.
Even with the clarification, Mahoning Democrats will select the party's candidate at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Maronite Center on South Meridian Road.
Elections
Also at the meeting Wednesday, Mahoning Democratic precinct committee members will elect party officers, except chair, and will elect district leaders, said Lisa Antonini, Mahoning Democratic chairwoman. Except party chair, which is a four-year position, the other Mahoning Democratic Party officials serve two-year terms. All current officeholders plan to run for re-election, Antonini said.
Mahoning Republicans haven't set a date to select the party's candidate, and are going to wait until after Gov. Bob Taft appoints a successor to Judge Lisotto to hold the meeting, said Mark Munroe, the party's vice chairman.
In all likelihood, the person appointed to the vacant seat by Taft will be the Republicans' candidate in the general election, Munroe said. Taft is expected to appoint a replacement no later than mid-August. That person would serve until late November or early December, when the election board certifies the results of the general election.
Those interested in the vacancy include Ted Roberts, Maureen Sweeney and Ronald Knickerbocker, who have run and lost judicial elections in recent years. Also, Leonard Hall, who lost the 2000 Democratic primary to county Prosecutor Paul J. Gains, is seeking the appointment.
skolnick@vindy.com