A Mahoning County juvenile court administrator and magistrate filed to run for common pleas court judge

By David Skolnick | October 6, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Anthony D’Apolito was ready to run for a Mahoning County Common Pleas Court seat last year, but a maneuver by a sitting judge to stay on the bench an extra month eliminated that plan.

So D’Apolito, of Poland, filed nominating petitions Monday for that same judicial seat in the March 2016 Democratic primary.

Dec. 16 is the filing deadline for that primary.

Incumbent Judge Shirley J. Christian of New Springfield, appointed by Republican Gov. John Kasich last year, will file by the deadline to run in the Republican primary for the position she currently holds.

James C. Evans, a Democrat, delayed his retirement in 2014 from Sept. 1 to Oct. 1 to avoid an election to fill the remainder of his term and allow Kasich to appoint. Evans died last August.

Asked at the county board of elections about last year, D’Apolito said he was disappointed “not only for me. This is a lifetime dream [to run for judge], but I was disappointed by the people backing me. I felt I was the most qualified candidate.”

His father, Lou A. D’Apolito, is a judge on the common pleas bench. His father’s term is up in two years, and he cannot seek reelection because of the state’s law on age restrictions for judges.

If elected, D’Apolito said serving with his father is “something I would always cherish.”

D’Apolito is the county juvenile court’s administrator and a magistrate under Judge Theresa Dellick, a Republican.

In Ohio, judicial candidates run in politically partisan primaries and then without party affiliation on general-election ballots.

D’Apolito said he spoke to Judge Dellick about retaining his job while running for office.

“Judge Dellick has been wonderful in that she values me as a court administrator and a court magistrate,” he said. “I hope to continue to” retain the positions. “The fact I’m still there and working says a lot.”

Even though he filed early, D’Apolito isn’t the first candidate for the 2016 election in Mahoning County to file nominating petitions.

County Recorder Noralynn Palermo of Youngstown and James J. Bertrando of Struthers have filed for the former’s position in the Democratic primary.