Elections board cancels meeting on write-in candidates

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Board of Elections canceled a Monday meeting to determine if eight former independent candidates for Youngstown City Council seats can file as write-ins for those jobs.

After the eight were decertified as candidates June 14 by the elections board, Brian Green, election counsel for the secretary of state, told The Vindicator that state law prohibited them from running as write-in candidates.

The secretary of state is expected to issue a written opinion confirming Green’s statements, said Thomas McCabe, Mahoning elections director. The board will wait until then before making a decision as to their eligibility as write-in candidates, McCabe said.

But Jeff Ortega, a secretary of state spokesman, said the office has no plans to issue a written opinion on the subject.

For the complete story, see Saturday's Vindicator and Vindy.com.