Dems to choose leader April 27

By David Skolnick

Those wanting to run for party chairman or treasurer have until next Tuesday to submit a letter of intent.

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Democratic Party precinct committee members will meet April 27 to elect their next leader.

County Treasurer Lisa Antonini resigned Friday as party chairwoman after nearly seven years at that post.

Those wanting to run for chairman — as well as the vacant position of party treasurer — have until 6 p.m. Tuesday to submit a letter of intent, dated and signed, to acting chairman Kenneth Carano.

To be considered for either position, candidates also must include on the letter of intent, a separate sheet, or a formal petition, the latter available from Carano, with the signatures and addresses of five precinct committee members. Committee members can sign for only one candidate in each race.

Those signatures must be to Carano by 6 p.m. April 25.

Carano’s address is 1906 Countryside Drive, Austintown, OH 44515. His telephone number is (330) 792-7584.

The committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. April 27 at the Maronite Center, 1515 S. Meridian Road in Youngstown, to hear from the candidates and vote.

At least 100 precinct committee members — there are 287 precincts with about 20 vacancies — must attend the meeting for a vote to occur. The precinct committee members are the only ones who can vote.

Candidates for chairman have five minutes each to speak before the vote. Candidates for treasurer have three minutes each.

Votes by paper ballot will be cast after the speeches. In order to win, a candidate must have a majority of all the votes. If that doesn’t happen, a second vote will be held with the candidate with the least amount of votes removed from the ballot. That will continue, if need be, until there are two candidates with one having a majority of the votes, Carano said.

Antonini said she resigned because she couldn’t devote the time needed to be chairwoman and serve as county treasurer.

So far, three people are campaigning to replace Antonini: Atty. David Betras; Jaladah Aslam, the party’s vice chairwoman of labor relations; and Sam Matheny, who works at the county board of elections. Carano expects others to jump into the race.

As for treasurer, the position has been vacant for about six months and was last held by Donna Wilson.

No one has expressed interest in replacing Wilson, Carano said.

In order to pay the Maronite Center’s rental fee and other related expenses, Carano said John Vivo, the party’s secretary, will serve as acting treasurer until the April 27 meeting.

skolnick@vindy.com