DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY O'Connell drops out of race for mayor

Three people are running as write-ins for a Warren ward seat.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The ranks of those running in the Democratic primary for Youngstown mayor are shrinking again.
Patricia O'Connell of Wilbur Avenue, considered a long shot by local political observers to win the primary, officially withdrew Monday from the race.
O'Connell told Mahoning County Board of Elections employees she was quitting the race because of a family medical issue.
The elections board disqualified Diane Murphy, the other woman running in the Democratic primary, last month because of problems with her nominating petitions and residency.
With O'Connell and Murphy gone, seven men remain in the May Democratic primary.
O'Connell couldn't be reached Monday to comment about her withdrawal. O'Connell, 57, is a part-time behavioral coach at Lincoln Place and a retired social worker.
She ran unsuccessfully for Youngstown school board in 2001. During interviews with The Vindicator and at a candidates' forum last week, O'Connell said she was running to bring a fresh approach to running the city.
"If I get emotional, it's because we've been waiting and waiting for things to get better and they don't get better," she said at a candidates' forum last week. "Please use your head. We've been waiting and waiting, and I don't see too much change."
Deadline passes
Also, Monday was the deadline for those wanting to run as write-in candidates in the May primary. Only those who file write-in forms with their county elections boards by the deadline are eligible to run as write-in candidates.
Councilwoman Virginia Bufano, D-1st, was kicked off the ballot Feb. 24 by the Trumbull County Board of Elections because of problems with her nominating petitions.
Bufano, whose held the seat for 20 of the past 22 years, was the only Democrat to file for the seat through the nominating petition process.
But after Bufano of Oakdale Street N.W. was disqualified, she and two others filed to run as write-ins for the May Democratic primary for the 1st Ward seat in Warren.
They were the only ones to file as write-in candidates in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
The 1st Ward winner would be whoever gets the most votes over 25, said Kelly Pallante, Trumbull election board director.
Candidates need as many write-in votes as they would have needed on a successful petition of candidacy, she said. In the case of a Warren ward council position, that number is 25.
Challengers
Challenging Bufano as Democratic write-in candidates are former Councilman Fiore Dippolito of Arthur Drive N.W. and Eleanor V. Costantino of Englesson Drive.
Costantino hasn't run for office.
But Bufano and Dippolito have a history together.
Bufano served 14 years as 1st Ward councilwoman before losing to Dippolito in the 1997 Democratic primary. Dippolito didn't run for re-election in 1999, and Bufano won back the seat. Dippolito unsuccessfully ran that year for city auditor.
Dippolito attempted to regain the council seat in 2001, but lost to Bufano in the Democratic primary.
Republicans aren't fielding a candidate for the Warren 1st Ward seat.
Nonparty candidates have until May 2, the day before the partisan primary, to file nominating petitions to run in the November general election for partisan positions.