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Several Mahoning Valley incumbents have filed for re-election
YOUNGSTOWN
Dec. 16 is the filing deadline for those running in the March 2016 primary, but plenty of incumbents – and a few challengers – already have turned in nominating petitions for office.
The incumbents in Mahoning County who have filed include: Sheriff Jerry Greene of Boardman, Engineer Patrick T. Ginnetti of Struthers, Prosecutor Paul J. Gains of Boardman, Coroner David Kennedy of Canfield, Recorder Noralynn Palermo of Youngstown, Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick of Canfield, Common Pleas Court Judge Shirley J. Christian of New Springfield, and state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown in the 58th Ohio House District.
Also, Judge Gene Donofrio of Canfield of the 7th District Court of Appeals – which takes in eight counties including Mahoning and Columbiana – filed for re-election.
All except Judges Dellick and Christian are Democrats.
Anthony D’Apolito of Poland, juvenile court administrator, has filed as a Democrat to challenge Judge Christian in the November 2016 general election.
Jim Bertrando, the Struthers tax commissioner, filed to challenge Palermo in the Democratic primary March 15.
Gains, who is seeking his sixth four-year term next year, has had a competitor for every election, but it appears that won’t be the case for 2016.
“I have never had an election year when I wasn’t opposed,” he said. “I didn’t have general-election opponents in 2004 and 2012, but I’ve had a primary opponent every time I’ve run.”
The incumbents in Trumbull County who have filed for the primary include: Prosecutor Dennis Watkins of Howland, Clerk of courts Karen Infante Allen of Niles, Sheriff Thomas Altiere of Howland, Coroner Humphrey Germaniuk of Warren, and Common Pleas Court Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Cortland.
Joe O’Grady, a retired Warren police sergeant, filed to run for sheriff, and Gwen Logan of Gustavus turned in petitions to run for county recorder. Incumbent Recorder Diana Marchese of Farmdale is retiring. Also, Tod Latell, whose father, Anthony, was a former county commissioner and state legislator, is to file for recorder today.
All of the candidates in Trumbull County are Democrats.
U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, filed to run for re-election. To date, he has no opponents. The 18-county congressional district includes all of Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning.
In Columbiana County, Republican incumbents who’ve filed include Commissioners Jim Hoppel of East Liverpool and Tim Weigle of East Palestine, Sheriff Raymond L. Stone of Salem, and Engineer Bert Dawson of East Liverpool. Democratic incumbents who filed are Treasurer Linda S. Bolon of Columbiana, and Clerk of Courts Anthony J. Dattilio of Leetonia.
Democrat Jerry Barnett of East Liverpool has filed as a Democrat to challenge Weigle. Also, Tiffany Chertock of Lisbon and Sondra Powell of East Liverpool filed as Democrats for recorder.