Mahoning County elections director and clerk suspended

YOUNGSTOWN — Failure to send ballot language to any political entity with an issue on the Nov. 3 ballot led to the unpaid suspensions today of the Mahoning County Board of Elections director and a clerk.

The four-member board agreed to suspend Director Thomas McCabe for three days, and Danielle O’Neill, a clerk who’s responsibilities include preparing ballot language, for five days.

The suspensions will take effect shortly after the board certifies the Nov. 3 election results. That certification usually comes in late November.

McCabe receives about $63,000 annually in salary and O’Neill is paid about $36,000 in base salary annually.

O’Neill failed to send ballot language to any political entity with an issue on the Nov. 3 ballot, said McCabe and Mark Munroe, the board’s vice chairman.

The board sends the language for review as a matter of courtesy, McCabe said.

McCabe said he should have better supervised O’Neill, and said his suspension is fair.

O’Neill and her attorney, John Juhasz, declined to comment today.

Elections officials initially believed county commissioners were the only ones to not receive ballot language for review for a county half-percent sales tax.

The commissioners are having the sheriff’s department investigate the problem to determine if criminal activity occurred.

Elections board member Michael Morley called the investigation “silly.”

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com