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Felon files as write-in for Youngstown BOE
and Amanda Tonoli
YOUNGSTOWN
Clarence N. Boles, who cannot hold elected office under state law because he’s a felon, has filed to run as a write-in candidate for the Youngstown school board.
Boles resigned in September 2004 as the 6th Ward city councilman when The Vindicator reported his felony convictions. He had served since the beginning of that year on council and before that served two years on the board of education.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court records uncovered by the newspaper – that led to Boles’ resignation – showed that in January 1982 he and a woman named Barbara Foster were indicted on charges of felonious assault and endangering children. At the time, Boles lived in Cleveland.
The indictment stated Boles and Foster “tortured or cruelly abused” a 1-year-old girl, and the conduct resulted in serious physical harm.
In June 1982, Boles pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated assault and endangering children, both felonies. In August 1982, he was sentenced to two to five years in prison on each count.
Foster also was convicted.
Boles was released from state prison in October 1982 after the judge granted a motion for shock probation. The judge placed Boles on four years’ probation. His probation was terminated in June 1984 on a recommendation of the probation department.
State law doesn’t prohibit Boles from running for office, but as a convicted felon, he isn’t permitted to hold an elected seat.
Boles told The Vindicator he plans on challenging the law that prohibits him from holding office.
“Am I allowed to run?” Boles asked. “Then there should be no confusion about my intentions.”
When asked to comment further during a telephone interview, Boles hung up on a Vindicator reporter.
In addition to Boles of Idlewood Avenue, four other people filed as write-in candidates. They are: Nia L. Simms of Ferndale Avenue, Kyle Johnson of West Chalmers Avenue, Keland L. Logan of Oak Hill Avenue, and Michelle Fleming of Summer Street.
Seven people filed by the Aug. 9 deadline to get their names on the ballot as Youngstown school board candidates for three seats.
Three were disqualified, however, for not having enough valid signatures and a fourth candidate withdrew leaving three people for those three seats.
The candidates whose names will appear on the ballot are incumbents Ronald Shadd of Cabot Street and Jackie Adair of Kenneth Street along with Tina Cvetkovich of South Maryland Avenue.
Also in Youngstown, Calvin Hill Sr. of Lilburne Avenue is running as a write-in for mayor. There are four mayoral candidates whose names will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Bruce Paulette of Overlook Avenue, who unsuccessfully ran for Mahoning County commissioner in 2000, filed to run for Youngstown council president. Democrat DeMaine Kitchen is the only candidate whose name will be on the ballot.
Meanwhile, two candidates filed to run as write-ins for the Poland Village Council with at least one of them guaranteed to be elected during the Nov. 7 election.
Only three candidates had their names certified to the ballot earlier this year for the four council seats.
They are Martha Morgan of Poland Manor and incumbent Linda M. Srnec of Pamela Court, both independents, and Republican Sam Moffie of South Main Street.
The two candidates to file as write-ins are J. Michael Thompson of South Main Street, an attorney and former Mahoning County assistant prosecutor, and Anthony Lattanzio of Windemere Place, a 2015 Poland Seminary High School graduate attending Youngstown State University.
In Trumbull County, former Newton Falls Mayor Pat Layshock filed to be a write-in candidate for council at-large in that village.
Layshock is challenging incumbent Tarry A. Alberini, whose name will appear on the ballot.
Two Republican candidates for Niles council withdrew their candidacies: John D. Priddy from the at-large race, and Michael A. Cline Sr. from the race for 4th Ward.