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LISBON -- Many of the voters in Columbiana County will not be asked to go to the polls for the May 2 primary election. In fact, if voters go to 70 of the precincts, there will be no one there.
Board of Elections Director Adam Booth said Monday the lack of need for a primary election is due to the fact there are no contested partisan races in any of the cities and villages throughout the county except for East Liverpool's Fourth Ward, where two independents have filed. In that case, both independents will be placed on the general election ballot.
So only 17 precincts will be open on May 2. Those precincts are in communities and school districts with issues on the ballot:
Center Township, which is seeking an additional fire levy of .286 mills to generate $25,000 annually; Knox Township, which is seeking an additional 2-mill levy for road and equipment maintenance, $165,000 annually; Lisbon Exempted Village School District, seeking an additional 1 percent income tax to cover current expenses and lasting 10 years; Middleton Township, seeking to renew a 1-mill fire levy generating $49,500 annually; and the village of Wellsville, seeking a .50 percent permanent income tax levy, additional money for safety forces, maintenance and paving.
The board Monday approved the cancellation of primary elections at the other 70 precincts, where there are no items on the ballot.
Booth said he anticipates the morning of May 2 he will receive calls from outside polling places where county residents have gone to vote and found the doors locked and no poll workers present.
Booth noted there were no problems with the petitions and applications for those who have petitioned to be on the ballots in various municipalities. Those names will appear for the general election in November.
In other matters Monday:
-- The board voted to give 2 percent cost of living increase to two of the employees, Niki Wilkinson and Donna Klaes. It was noted the two employees have not had a raise in two years.
-- The board said good-bye to James Beardsley, the board member who is leaving the board following the meeting on Monday. Beardsley said he has really enjoyed working with the board and the staff at the board of elections through the years.
"What makes it easy is we have a good director, a good deputy director and a good staff," Beardsley said, adding even when there were differences between them, the board was always able to come together and work things out."
Beardsley served two four-year terms as one of the board's Republican representatives, the most allowed by someone not serving as the Republican Party chairman.
djohnson@mojonews.com