Faison files as independent for sheriff

YOUNGSTOWN — Howard Faison, a retired Mahoning County sheriff’s lieutenant, filed nominating petitions to run as an independent candidate for the department’s top spot.

Faison of Youngstown, who left the department in 2003, was soundly defeated in the 2004 Democratic primary by Sheriff Randall A. Wellington of Youngstown. Faison received only 15.2 percent of the vote.

He filed his petitions with the board of elections Friday. The deadline for independent candidates to file for the November general election is March 3.

Wellington is seeking re-election and is running in the Democratic primary on March 4. At this point, he has no opponent in the Democratic primary.

David Aey of Boardman, a former sheriff’s deputy, is asking a federal judge to put him back on the ballot. The Ohio Supreme Court ordered Aey’s name be removed from the ballot, saying he doesn’t have the supervisory experience required of all county sheriff candidates.