TRUMBULL COUNTY Hearing to focus on marriage issue

The amendment would essentially ban homosexual marriages.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A hearing is scheduled for Monday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to determine if sufficient signatures were given to the Trumbull County Board of Elections to place a proposed "marriage protection" amendment on the ballot in November.
Each county in Ohio certified petitions and sent the results to the Ohio secretary of state's office last month.
The state office determined there were enough signatures and placed the proposed amendment on the statewide November ballot.
The proposed amendment is asking that the state constitution adopt a section that would state only a marriage between one man and one woman be recognized as valid. A majority yes vote is necessary for the proposed amendment to take effect.
Background
Two Columbus women, Melanie J. Essig and Sandra K. Essig, filed a protest with Norma J. Williams, director of the Trumbull County Board of Elections. They say they don't believe there are enough valid signatures on the petitions turned into the state from Trumbull County.
Neither the women nor their attorney, Donald J. McTigue, of Columbus, nor state officials could be reached to find out whether protests were filed in other Ohio counties.
"All I know is we have people protesting us here and we will have a hearing on it," said James Saker, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor.
The hearing is set for 9 a.m. Monday in the courtroom of Judge W. Wyatt McKay.
"We checked the petitions as we were told to do and we sent down what we felt was the right number," Williams said. She said she will meet with Saker later today to discuss the matter.
Saker said he did not know how many signatures would be needed to be declared invalid for the proposed amendment to be removed from the ballot.
sinkovich@vindy.com