Trumbull Republicans plan to continue secret balloting

Staff report

VIENNA

Though the Trumbull County Democratic Party will have public voting Saturday when its Central Committee nominates someone to replace Trumbull County Commissioner Paul Heltzel, the county’s Republicans are planning to keep their voting secret.

The Republicans will nominate someone to run in November to complete the last two years of Heltzel’s term. Heltzel died June 30. No date for the Republicans’ nomination meeting has been set.

John Blue, first vice chairman of the Trumbull County Republican Party, said the Ohio Republican Party, unlike the Ohio Democratic Party, doesn’t dictate to its county parties what method of voting it should use.

In the past, Trumbull Republicans have put their choice on a piece of paper, which they put in a ballot box in front of the Central Committee. Voters’ names are not attached to the votes.

Blue said he has looked into claims by Democrats in recent weeks that an Ohio attorney general’s opinion from 2011 requires public voting to satisfy the requirements of a public meeting. He said he isn’t convinced that the opinion requires the political parties to vote in public.

He also has asked attorneys to research it and is waiting for a response.

As for who the Republicans will nominate, Blue said he has spoken with “quite a few” people interested in the position, but no one has submitted a formal letter of interest.

Both parties have until Aug. 11 to submit a nomination to the Trumbull County Board of Elections.