Voting precincts may be reduced

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

A Republican member of the Trumbull County Board of Elections says legislation signed by Gov. John Kasich last week will require the board to reduce voting precincts by another 13.

But state Rep. Tom Letson of Warren, D-64th says he believes House Bill 194 only aspires to have 500 or more registered voters in every polling place in cities and villages — but doesn’t require it.

“I believe it is permissive, not mandatory,” Letson said.

Republican board of elections member Craig Bonar said Tuesday that Trumbull County has 13 voting precincts with fewer than 500 registered voters and that the new law will require those to be consolidated with other precincts by the end of this year.

Democrat Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, who was a state representative until this year and is now a board member, said she wants to study the legislation further before she can determine whether the law requires more consolidations.

The board has set a meeting for 3 p.m. Aug. 1 to further discuss the matter. Bonar said he expected the board to act on that date so that the changes can go into effect for this November’s election.

The board approved a reduction of 28 voting precincts on May 2 that will take effect in November. The reductions were done to save money.

The May 2 changes reduce Warren voting precincts by 13; Niles precincts by six; two in Girard, Hubbard and Howland; and one fewer precinct in Liberty, Mesopotamia and Weathersfield townships.

Bonar says the new law will require consolidation of seven more voting precincts in Warren, two more in Girard, and single precincts in Lordstown, McDonald, Niles and Hubbard.

Bonar added that it is good that the board reduced precincts in May because most of those consolidations would have been required under House Bill 194.

In other business, the board authorized staff to work Saturdays and extra weekday hours over the next two weeks to check signatures on the recall petitions for Senate Bill 5.

The elections board will have 27,000 to 28,000 signatures to check by July 18, Pallante said.