YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Board of Elections Monday voted against certifying 21 candidates, including three for the full-term West Branch school board seat, because of issues with their nominating petitions.

Aug. 25 is the write-in deadline to qualify for the general election. However, those who weren’t certified Monday by the board cannot file as write-in candidates.

Of the 21 not certified by the board, several were for not having enough valid signatures, including Tonya Dean for West Branch school board. Dean filed with 28 signatures, needed 25 to qualify and the board determined 24 were valid.

But board members said Dean could qualify as some of the signatures weren’t validated because people printed their names rather than use cursive, which is required under state law. But if she can bring affidavits from enough people who printed their names on petitions attesting that they print their signatures, the board could reconsider their eligibility, board director Tom McCabe said.

In addition to Dean, two other candidates running for West Branch school board failed to make the ballot because of problems with their petitions.

Incumbent Joseph Matthew Courtwright failed to fill out his circulator’s statement and the date on Karen Sue Harris’ petition is after signatures were collected, which isn’t permissible.

There were nine people who filed for the three full terms on the West Branch school board, with six getting certified.

Kristine M. Shoemaker, an incumbent member of the Beloit Board of Public Affairs, didn’t include the number of signatures collected on her petition and wasn’t certified. That leaves one incumbent on the ballot for two board seats on the ballot.

Rocky’s Drive Thru in Smith Township submitted a petition for liquor options — one for weekly and the other for Sunday — and wanted to see if the weekly option could be withdrawn.

Because they’re both on the same petition, it is unlikely that would be permitted, McCabe said. The board will seek a legal opinion from the county prosecutor’s office.

In a letter, a representative of the business said if the weekly option couldn’t be withdrawn, both would stay on the ballot.

“The bar is so low for petitions,” said David Betras, the election board’s chairman.

McCabe said one problem is that people download petitions from websites and don’t come to the board’s office to get them, so they may be collecting signatures on an incorrect document.