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YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County Board of Elections didn't certify 22 candidates, including nine incumbents, to the Nov. 7 ballot because of problems with nominating petitions -- mostly for failing to fill them out correctly.
"It just amazes me that we have this many people who want to participate in our government; the bar's really low and they can't do it," David Betras, board chairman, said.
Before addressing the issues Wednesday, Betras asked board Director Tom McCabe: "How bad is this going to be?"
McCabe said: "Pretty bad."
A resigned Betras sarcastically said: "That's what I like to hear."
Also, a liquor option for Barrel 33 in Springfield Precinct 5 was rejected because the statement on the petitions explaining it was for Sunday liquor sales wasn't filled out until it was submitted to the board. That has to be filled out before signature can be collected, McCabe said.
Of the 22 candidates not certified Wednesday, nine failed to properly fill out the required circulator statement on the back page of their nominating petitions.
Those nine were: Springfield fiscal officer Laurie Applegarth, Smith fiscal officer Audrey Fox; Smith Trustee Scott Showalter; Milton Trustee David Allen Tomaino; Michael P. Cefalde, an Austintown trustee candidate; Erin O'Hara, who was running for Green fiscal officer; Tracy L. Sinn and Mike Squibbs, who were running for seats on the Western Reserve school board; and Dee Smith, who was seeking a seat on the Youngstown school board.
Another two failed to fill in the number of signatures collected on nominating petitions -- another fatal flaw leading to automatic disqualification, McCabe said.
Those two were Craig Beach Councilman Robert Andrea and Michele Barrett, who was seeking to run for Goshen fiscal officer.
Three candidates weren't permitted on the ballot because they failed to fill in the required nominating section part on the front of the petitions.
Troy Polis, an incumbent Poland school board member, and Anthony W. Jesko, running for a seat on the South Range school board, didn't fill them in at all, while McCabe said Patrick C. Bundy, an incumbent Struthers school board member, filled it in while he submitted his petitions, which isn't permitted under state law.
Five candidates weren't certified by the board because they didn't completely fill out the required statement of candidacy at the top of their nominating petitions.
Incumbent Canfield City Councilman Anthony J. Nacarato failed to sign his; Brenda Rider, who wanted to run for Austintown trustee didn't fill it out at all; Amy Wells, a South Range school board candidate, didn't include the statement of candidacy on two of her three nominating petitions; Jill DeRamo, a Canfield school board candidate, collected signatures on dates before the date of her candidacy declaration; and Bryce Bond, a Milton trustee candidate, dated and signed his statement of candidacy while submitting his petitions.
All are fatal flaws, McCabe said.
The board met in executive session for about 10 minutes on Wells' petitions because one of the documents had a statement of candidacy and she stapled the other two to that one while turning them in at the board.
Betras initially said the board was arguing over a staple, but other members said it couldn't be determined if the person who circulated her petitions had kept them all together. After the executive session with its legal counsel, the board voted to reject Wells as a candidate.
Rider had filed a campaign finance report showing she raised $1,350 for her campaign through June 30 and loaned it another $400. She has a $20 per person fundraiser scheduled for Friday and has had campaign signs throughout Austintown for weeks as well as a few in Youngstown, where people cannot vote for her.
Two candidates failed to meet the minimum signature requirement.
Desate Burkley, who wanted to run for a Youngstown school board seat, needed 150 valid signatures to qualify. She submitted petitions with 189 signatures, but the board ruled only 107 were valid.
Craig Beach Councilwoman Linda Bryant, seeking re-election, needed 10 valid signatures. She submitted a petition with 12 signatures and seven were ruled valid.
Also, Steven L. Morvan, a Springfield school board candidate, submitted two wrong petitions and wasn't certified. One petition was to run in a primary and the other was for multiple candidates running for office. In addition, he didn't list the number of signatures on his petition.
Those not certified have seven days from Wednesday's meeting to file an appeal with the board to reconsider the decisions, but with all being fatal flaws the board is unlikely to change their votes, McCabe said.
With the decision not to certify Wednesday, there are now no candidates for fiscal officer in Smith and Green, no trustee candidate in Smith or Milton, none for two seats on the Western Reserve and South Range school boards and none for two seats on Craig Beach village council.
Aug. 28 is the deadline for write-in candidates. None of the candidates not certified Wednesday are permitted to file as write-ins.