Campbell official’s tardiness puts initiative in jeopardy

Campbell official’s tardiness puts initiative in jeopardy

CAMPBELL — Citizens who worked to place an initiative denying the city an opportunity to lease or sell its water plant did everything correctly to get the item on the November ballot, Campbell city and Mahoning County elections officials say.

But as of now the initiative won’t be in front of voters in November.

That’s because city Finance Director John Leskovyansky Jr.submitted the initiative to the Mahoning County Board of Elections at 4:31 p.m. Thursday.

That is 31 minutes after the state-imposed 4 p.m. deadline to submit petitions for the November ballot.

Leskovyansky said conversations he had with elections board employees confused him and led him to believe the filing deadline was at the end of the board’s business day, which is 5 p.m.

The late filing wasn’t done purposely, Leskovyansky added.

But not everyone is convinced this was a mistake.

“This was done intentionally,” said Flora Hodge, one of the Campbell residents who organized the petition drive. “It’s obvious they’re playing games with the petitions.”

Hodge sued the city earlier this month over what she claims were intentional delays in the citizen initiative.

Elections officials are talking to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office and the Mahoning County prosecutor, its attorney, to determine if the citizen initiative petitions can be accepted and placed in front of voters on Nov. 6.

The secretary of state’s election calendar, citing several state laws, states the filing deadline for local questions, issues and options was 4 p.m. last Thursday.

The elections board will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday to make a decision on this issue as well as certify the list of nonpartisan candidates and questions, issues and options.

For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.