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Disqualifications give Wellington a free ride on ballot
An Ohio House candidate also was disqualified.
YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Sheriff Randall Wellington stands alone.
The Mahoning County Board of Elections voted Tuesday to disqualify Wellington’s three would-be independent challengers.
That leaves Wellington, a Youngstown Democrat, unopposed in the November general election.
“It’s going to be a lot easier this fall,” Wellington said after the board ruled the three retired sheriff’s department employees ineligible to run.
The three were disqualified for different reasons.
James S. Horvath of Boardman, a former lieutenant, only had 878 valid signatures on his nominating petitions.
Those running for sheriff as independents needed 953 valid signatures to be ruled eligible.
John Martynyszyn of Youngstown, an ex-corporal, voted in the Democratic primary March 4, the day after he filed his petitions as an independent.
The Ohio secretary of state’s office issued an opinion last year disqualifying candidates who vote in a party primary election after filing as an independent.
Howard Faison of Youngstown retired as a captain May 1, 2003.
To be eligible to run for sheriff, a person needs state peace officer training within three or four years after their retirement, depending on their job classification. Faison didn’t submit documentation to the elections board proving he had the training.
The three have until May 16 to file an appeal to the board, said elections Director Thomas McCabe.
Two sheriff candidates who filed to challenge Wellington in the March Democratic primary were ruled ineligible.
Also Tuesday, the board ruled Dennis S. Spisak of Struthers, seeking to be an independent candidate for the Ohio House 60th District seat, ineligible.
Spisak failed to write the office he’s seeking on six of his nominating petitions.
Signatures on those petitions are ruled invalid under state election law, McCabe said.
Because of that, Spisak only had 263 valid petitions when he needed 323 to be a candidate. There were 60 valid signatures on the six invalid petitions.
Like the disqualified sheriff candidates, Spisak can appeal the board’s decision by May 16.
On Tuesday, the board only certified the petitions of Maggy Lorenzi of Youngstown, who is challenging Commissioner John A. McNally of Youngstown.
The board opted to wait to certify the candidacy of Marty Yavorcik of Boardman, a prosecutor candidate, until Monday.
On that day, the board will hear a protest to Yavorcik’s eligibility from Prosecutor Paul J. Gains of Boardman.
Gains questions Yavorcik’s independent status. Yavorcik, who was at Tuesday’s board meeting, says that claim is wrong.
skolnick@vindy.com