Elections board must move quickly on Traficant hearing

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Board of Elections will be required to have a special hearing to consider the concerns of the Jim Traficant campaign committee by Monday and report its findings by Tuesday, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office says.

Secretary of State Jennifer 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 earlier Wednesday 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.