Those interested in replacing judge must apply by May 31

By David Skolnick | May 18, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Douglas

YOUNGSTOWN

Those wanting to be appointed to the Youngstown Municipal Court judicial seat being vacated by Robert A. Douglas Jr. have until May 31 to send an application to the Mahoning County Republican Party.

Judge Douglas is retiring Aug. 1.

His term ends Dec. 31, 2013, and whoever replaces him would hold that seat until then. The election for that seat’s full six-year term will be in November 2013.

Under state law, Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, fills judicial vacancies even though Douglas is a Democrat and there are significantly more Democrats than Republicans in the city.

Kasich is asking the county GOP to start a search and recommend three candidates to replace Judge Douglas, who has served since November 1997.

The county Republican Party wants applicants to send a letter of interest, a resume detailing education and work experience and at least three references by May 31.

The applications must be mailed to the Mahoning County Republican Party, P.O. Box 9012, Youngstown, OH 44513 or hand-delivered by 5 p.m. May 31 to the party office at 621 Boardman-Canfield Road in Boardman.

The party is in the process of putting a screening committee together of about a half-dozen people, said Chairman Mark Munroe.

Those on the committee will be a mix of attorneys and party officials, he said.

The local screening process should be done by the third week of June and no later than the end of that month, Munroe said.

That will give Kasich at least a month to vet the three finalists and possibly choose a successor as early as the day of Judge Douglas’ retirement.