Elections board cuts 32 precincts in Youngstown, 3 in Struthers

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Board of Elections agreed to reduce 32 voting precincts in Youngstown and three in Struthers for the May 5 primary with what its director called “very minimal changes” to voters.

The plan would consolidate precincts at existing polling locations, but there could be a small number of people who will end up voting in a new location, Director Joyce Kale-Pesta said Tuesday.

“My main goal [with the consolidation] is to not change polling locations,” she said.

The board voted 4-0 Tuesday on the 35-precinct consolidation.

Each precinct reduced saves the county about $1,200 to $1,500 per election, board officials say.

The number of precincts in Youngstown went from 77 to 45, leaving the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wards with six precincts each, and the 5th, 6th and 7th Wards with seven precincts each.

In Struthers, one precinct in the 1st, 2nd and 4th Wards were eliminated. That leaves that city with 12 precincts — three in each of its four wards.

As it stands, Boardman has the most voting precincts in the county with 47, and Austintown isn’t too far behind with 40 precincts.

Read more about the changes in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.