The Columbiana County Board of Elections knocked two more candidates off of the Nov. 7 ballot after invalidating their forms for failing to fill out the district where they were seeking office as write-ins.

Debra Cataldo was running for Wellsville council as a write-in and Mark Douglas was running for East Liverpool mayor as a write-in, but they left the space for the district or jurisdiction blank, according to Board of Elections Director Kim Fusco.

In the case of write-in candidates, the board doesn’t certify them. The candidates normally go straight to the ballot after filing their petitions, but in this case, according to county Assistant Prosecutor Krista Peddicord, the information on the district must be included on the form so the board can determine whether the candidate meets the residency requirements.

In the written opinion, she noted the board must have the information to determine the applicable jurisdiction for placement on the ballot and whether the candidate is qualified to run for that position.

“It would not be proper for the board to essentially ‘guess’ what jurisdiction these candidates intent to run based merely on their voting residence. If the board lacks sufficient information on the forms to make these determinations, it is my opinion that it can invalidate the petitions,” Peddicord wrote.

The board agreed and voted unanimously to invalidate Cataldo and Douglas as write-in candidates.

In a third case where the district was left blank, Peddicord noted that Ashley Huston, who filed as a write-in for Leetonia school board, provided her intent when she wrote Leetonia Board of Education on her form. She recommended the board not invalidate her petition and leave her on the ballot.

“I think the intent is clear and our legal counsel recommends that we accept it and I would be inclined to agree,” Board of Elections Chairman David Johnson said.

The board unanimously voted in favor of accepting Huston’s petition.

In other business, the board agreed to move the Hanover Township Northeast and Hanover Township South precincts to the United Local School District Brautigam Center, just south of the school building. Hanover Township Northeast is moving from Guilford Lake Ruritan Club and Hanover Township South is moving from the Kensington Christian Church. The third Hanover Township precinct was already located at the Brautigam Center on the school grounds.

Deputy Director Bryce Miner explained “we were short poll workers out there.”

He thought locating all three precincts at one place would be a positive solution. The school superintendent gave his blessing for the change. Miner said the construction project should not impact the area near the building and parking should not be a problem.

Besides Huston, other write-in candidates will include, Thomas Clark for East Liverpool Council at Large; Cindy Mick, Barbara Recek and Aaron M. Smith for Wellsville council; Adam Booth for Fairfield Township Fiscal Officer, Samuel Frank for Center Township trustee and Sharon Henry for Crestview school board.

In other matters, Fusco noted that sample ballots for the Nov. 7 general election will be available Sept. 21, the voter registration deadline falls on Oct. 10 when the office on Dickey Drive in Lisbon will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and absentee voting by mail and in office absentee voting will begin Oct. 11.

mgreier@mojonews.com