MAHONING COUNTY AUDITOR Dem committee to vote on replacement

The party chairwoman is supporting a candidate.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County Democratic precinct committee members will decide the next county auditor from among six candidates.
The committee will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at ITAM Post 3 on South Meridian Road to hear the candidates speak for up to four minutes each about why they should get the appointment, said state Rep. Kenneth A. Carano of Austintown, the party's election chairman. Most of the candidates actively lobbied committee members during the past few weeks.
State law requires the county's Democratic precinct committee members to select a replacement for former Auditor George Tablack because he was a registered Democrat. Tablack resigned, effective July 31, after 181/2 years as auditor to become the chief financial officer for the clerk's office of Palm Beach County, Fla.
The person selected by the committee members would fill the remainder of Tablack's term, which expires March 8, 2007. The position pays $79,745 annually.
Democratic insiders say Michael V. Sciortino, county election board director, appears to be the favorite.
Although the party doesn't endorse candidates when filling vacancies, Democratic Chairwoman Lisa Antonini said she is personally supporting Sciortino.
"We grew up in politics together," she said. "I support Mike, and I'm not going to hide that fact. ... We've been best friends for many years."
Voting process
At least 100 committee members must attend Wednesday's meeting for a vote to be taken. There are 312 committee seats, but 23 are vacant, Antonini said. There were more vacancies, but Antonini appointed nine people to committee positions in the last six weeks.
A candidate must receive a majority vote of those casting ballots at Wednesday's meeting to get the appointment, Carano said.
The party's constitution states that if no one received a majority during the first vote, candidates who received 10 percent or less of the total votes are removed from the ballot and a second vote is held.
If no one gets a majority in the second round, the candidate with the least amount of votes is removed and a third vote is held. If no one gets a majority, that process continues until there are two candidates, and the person obtaining the majority of the votes is selected to fill the vacancy.
Changes possible
If Sciortino is appointed, some changes could occur at the county board of elections.
Board members said they could appoint Deputy Director Thomas McCabe, a Republican, as director, with the Democrats recommending a deputy director, or McCabe could keep his post and the Democrats recommend someone for director.
If McCabe is selected as director it would require board Chairman Mark Munroe, also a Republican, to relinquish his chairmanship to either Robert Wasko or Michael Morley, the two Democrats on the four-man board. State law requires the director and chairman of county election boards to be from different political parties.
Antonini, who is second in charge at the county treasurer's office, said several people have urged her to become the election board's deputy director. She said that she is considering it but that it's premature to make a decision now.
skolnick@vindy.com