6 p.m. Monday meeting set for Traficant hearing

The Mahoning County Board of Elections will hold a special hearing at 6 p.m. Monday at its board offices to consider the concerns of the Jim Traficant campaign committee.

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Wednesday said the Mahoning elections board needed to hold the hearing by Monday and report its findings by Tuesday.

Brunner said late Wednesday that the Trumbull County Board of Elections will then be required to make a final determination by Sept. 1 on whether to certify whether Traficant makes the ballot.

Meanwhile, the Traficant committee is planning a “Rally for Justice for Jim” at the Mahoning County Board of Elections at noon Friday.

Brunner broke a tie vote by members of the Trumbull County Board of Elections by saying that Traficant is now 20 petition signatures short of having enough to get on the November ballot as an independent for 17th District congressman and that Mahoning County’s elections board needs to hold a hearing to consider additional issues.