YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Board of Elections refused to certify two Republican candidates and three liquor options to the May 6 primary ballot because of problems with petitions.

In the cases of the liquor options and Tracy Randall, the lone Republican to file to run for Youngstown council president, a lack of valid signatures on petitions resulted in the board voting Monday to not certify.

For Republican Ronald E. Deagan, who was seeking to run for the 2nd Ward seat on Struthers City Council, he failed to put what ward race he was in on his nominating petitions and just wrote “councilman.”

The board determined Monday that was a “fatal flaw” and had no other choice but to not certify him.

Republicans had only four candidates file for seats in Youngstown and Struthers for the May 6 primary, and two of them weren’t certified.

The rest of the candidates in the two cities, as well as tax issues and the remaining liquor options, were certified Monday by the board.

The only candidates who filed in Youngstown by last Wednesday’s deadline were for mayor, council president and a municipal court judicial seat. In Struthers, the filings were for council seats and council president.

There will only be contested Democratic primaries for Youngstown mayor and council president.

There are also tax issues on the May 6 ballot in Austintown, Craig Beach, Lowellville and the Poland school district.

Of the seven liquor options that filed petitions, four were certified to the ballot: two in Beaver Precinct 1, one in Berlin Precinct 1 and one in Youngstown Precinct 1A.

But every precinct in Ohio will be open on May 6 because of a statewide public infrastructure bond amendment. If approved, the amendment would allow the state to issue up to $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds to assist local governments in funding public infrastructure improvement projects.

The deadline for independent candidates to file is May 5, the day before the primary.

Those running for nonpartisan seats such as township trustee and school board member have until Aug. 6 to file for the Nov. 3 general election.

Randall needed 50 valid signatures to get on the primary ballot for council president. Randall submitted 52 signatures with 47 of them ruled valid. Of the five disqualified, three were Democrats, one didn’t live in the city and Randall signed her own petition — which isn’t permitted under state law.

A Monday-to-Saturday liquor option and a Sunday option for Gateway Gas Mart, 2732 Glenwood Ave. in Youngstown’s Precinct 6G, was not certified.

Both options were on the same petition, which is permitted.

But the business failed to include its name on the petitions or a required affidavit, which disqualified the options. Also, the options needed 95 valid signatures. The business filed with 184 signatures, but the board of elections determined only 18 were valid. Most of the signatures were from those who don’t live in the precinct.

A Sunday liquor option at the 12th Street Party Shop, 221 12th St. in Campbell Precinct 3B also didn’t have enough valid signatures to qualify for the May 6 ballot.

The business needed 50 valid signatures. It submitted 88, but the board ruled only 41 were valid. Most of the invalid signatures were from those who don’t live in the precinct, listed an incorrect address or didn’t have a signature that matched the one on file with the board.

Of the lack of signatures on the liquor options, board Chairman David Betras said, “It is a low bar. We can’t set the bar any lower to put things in front of the voters. There has to be some minimum requirements and they can’t even fill the minimum requirements.”

OTHER BUSINESS

Betras on Monday again called for the board to be able to move from its location at the Oakhill Renaissance Place on Youngstown’s South Side to a different building.

“We are out of compliance with the secretary of state for security protocol,” Betras said. “Our machines are sitting on pallets with tarps on them. We’re one election away from a disaster.”

For several months, the board – and particularly Betras – has been calling for the county commissioners to permit it to relocate to another place. The board has been at Oakhill since 2011.

The commissioners purchased the former Infocision call center in Austintown in November for $2.5 million for some county offices and renamed it the Patriot Building because it’s on Patriot Boulevard off of state Route 46. But commissioners won’t commit to moving the board of elections there.

Betras said Oakhill “has outlived its usefulness” and the board should be permitted to relocate.

Betras also Monday brought up livestreaming board meetings – something that’s also been discussed for several months.

The board hasn’t paid to install equipment to air its meetings live online because of the uncertainty of its physical location. But Betras said Monday the process should commence because many county residents can’t get to the board offices to attend the meetings in person.

Also, the Mahoning County Republican Party recommended Secretary of State Frank LaRose appoint attorney Lisa Robinson of Beaver Township as a new elections board member. She would replace board member Robert Aurandt starting next month.

Mahoning County Democrats meeting today are expected to reappoint Betras to another four-year term on the board. Betras said it would be his last term on the board.