YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Board of Elections ruled Poland Township Trustee Eric Ungaro ineligible to run as an independent candidate for the 59th Ohio House District seat. It also will have a hearing next week on whether Greg Beight, another independent for that position, can remain on the ballot.

Ungaro said he plans to file an appeal with the Ohio Supreme Court to get reinstated.

“I’ll do what I have to do,” he said. “I think the argument (against me) is weak.”

The board ruled 3-1 during a second vote Monday not to certify Ungaro as a candidate after an initial vote ended in a 2-2 tie.

A second vote was held because ties are broken by the Ohio secretary of state and that office “doesn’t like 2-2 votes,” said Sandra Barger, a Republican who serves as the board’s vice chairwoman. She voted both times in favor of Ungaro’s eligibility.

Jonathan Blackshire of Baldwin Street in Youngstown, a county Democratic Party central committee member, filed a protest Saturday with the board of elections about Ungaro’s eligibility.

In his letter, Blackshire wrote that Ungaro’s website shows he “is still campaigning as a Democrat,” which makes him ineligible.

Blackshire pointed to at least 15 photos on Ungaro’s official website gallery section that has the Democratic Party brand on his shirts, yard signs and other campaign materials.

Blackshire also said Ungaro gave a campaign contribution to Vincent Peterson II, the Democratic nominee in the 64th House District race, and cited his “long affiliation with the Democratic Party,” including his 2018 state House race as the party’s nominee that he lost by 375 votes.

“Mr. Ungaro’s claim that he does not consider himself affiliated with a political party is not made in good faith as required by Ohio law to run as an independent candidate,” Blackshire wrote.

Board Chairman David Betras, a Democrat, said: “When you file a petition declaring you’re an independent, you have to be disaffiliated with a political party. He had Democratic logos all over his website. If it was one, OK, but he had about 15 photos. He hasn’t disaffiliated from the Democratic Party. His declaration of being an independent is not accurate. It’s not a valid petition.”

Also voting against Ungaro’s certification were Republican Robert Aurandt and Joyce Kale-Pesta, the Democratic Party’s first vice chairwoman. Kale-Pesta initially had voted to certify and then changed her vote after the tie.

Ungaro said the photos on his website are from Jan. 26, 2018, when he was running for the state House seat in the Democratic primary. Ungaro said it’s an “old webpage” with a new homepage.

“I’m a lifelong Democrat running as an independent,” Ungaro said. “There was nothing wrong with my petitions. You’re going to keep someone off the ballot in America because you were a Democratic candidate four years ago? You can change your mind, and you can be sick of being a Democratic or Republican. More and more Americans are becoming independents. It’s not like I’m standing there with Dave Betras and (President) Joe Biden.”

As for the $350 in contributions to Peterson, Ungaro said he used to coach him in football when he was a student at Howland High School.

He’s “like a son to me,” Ungaro said of Peterson.

County Democratic Party Chairman Christopher Anderson said of Ungaro: “He did not dissociate himself from Democrats. He was trying to avoid a primary. I’m glad the board of elections saw through the charade that he didn’t dissociate himself. We do the due diligence when an independent files.”

Barger said the board met in executive session to discuss with its legal counsel the Blackshire protest and flaws with three liquor options, which were not certified, before the scheduled public meeting.

The Blackshire letter, Barger said, “is not certified, and there was no witnesses. It’s pictures. We should have certified and scheduled a protest hearing. That hearing would allow us to hear from Jonathan Blackshire and witnesses under oath instead of an email and pictures.”

Barger said her fellow board members made a “judgment error” in the vote not to certify Ungaro.

“Dave Betras says we want as many people on the ballot as possible” and voted against Ungaro, Barger said.

Katie Fabian of Comanche Trail in Youngstown filed a protest Monday with the board against Beight. She had filed it Thursday but sent it to the wrong email address.

In her letter, Fabian wrote that Beight voted in Republican primaries since 2018, including the one on May 3. He didn’t vote in the Aug. 2 Republican primary.

Fabian also pointed to Beight’s Twitter account, writing he “makes no attempt to hide his ideology, sharing countless tweets supporting Republican candidates” and that he made a $250 campaign contribution in March to Monica Blasdel, a Republican running for a state House seat.

Beight has said he’s voted in Democratic and Republican primaries over the years and. because he didn’t vote in the Aug. 2 primary after filing Aug. 1 as an independent. he is eligible to be on the ballot.

Anderson said: “It’s very clear he’s not an independent. He’s someone who’s taking advantage of the confusion in this election.”

Youngstown 5th Ward Councilwoman Lauren McNally won a four-person Democratic primary on Aug. 2. The Republicans didn’t field a candidate in the race.

If Ungaro and Beight are removed from the ballot, McNally would run unopposed.

Also Monday, the board of elections certified all tax levies and ballot initiatives for the Nov. 8 election. It approved four liquor options, but rejected three others.

Those rejected for a lack of valid signatures were Sunday options at Smokes, Lottery and More, 2000 Canfield Road, in Youngstown Precinct 5E and at Omni Management, 1907 South Ave., in Youngstown Precinct 6B.

A weekly and Sunday liquor option at Jems Farms, 16212 state Route 14, in Goshen Precinct 1 was rejected because of incorrect information on the affidavit part of the petitions, causing an automatic disqualification.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

LISBON — An Austintown attorney charged in a sex sting pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he tried to solicit ...

YOUNGSTOWN — Three brothers who robbed their cousin will be sentenced at 10 a.m. Oct. 26. Stephen Johnson, 30; ...

CANFIELD — Two arrests for operating a vehicle impaired, and two other arrests on felony charges, are the results ...

WARREN — An assistant prosecutor on Thursday filed a motion to dismiss a case against Trumbull County ...

LIBERTY — With the school district receiving a $379,998 school-based Ohio Department of Education health grant, ...

YOUNGSTOWN — Jurors will begin deliberations today in the rape trial of Butler V. Johnson, 30, of Magnolia ...

Copyright © The Vindicator | https://www.vindy.com | 240 Franklin Street SE, Warren, OH 44482 | 330-841-1600 | Terms of Service