State says Mahoning must re-examine Traficant petitions

WARREN — Jim Traficant’s bid to be on the November ballot as an independent candidate for Congress received a big lift today from Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Brunner, in Columbus, sided with two Trumbull County Board of Elections members who refused to certify the most recent accounting of petitions filed by Traficant, saying the Mahoning County’s elections board needs to re-examine its counts and Summit County needs to change its by 11 signatures.

Brunner said she would order Mahoning County’s elections board to have a hearing to listen to specific issues raised by members of Traficant’s campaign committee and set a deadline for the hearing.

Brunner said she also would set a deadline for the Mahoning board to report its results to the Trumbull elections board, which has the most voters in the 17th Congressional District, where Traficant wants to run.

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