LISBON — The Columbiana County Board of Elections certified 111 nonpartisan candidate petitions and four local liquor option petitions for the Nov. 4 general election, then added two more candidates after ruling their petitions were valid.

“That’s a lot of hard work there,” Director Kim Fusco said, gesturing to the pile of petitions that had to be checked by election personnel.

Fusco told board members during their meeting Tuesday that there were four candidate petitions they had to review for validity, with the board finding two valid, but finding two not valid because they failed to have enough signatures.

Cynthia Doran, who filed to run for New Waterford village council, was required to have 10 signatures and had 10, but only three of the signatures were valid, so she won’t be on the ballot. Shauna Scott, who also failed to have enough signatures, filed to run for an unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2027 on the Wellsville school board. She needed 25 signatures and submitted 26, but only 18 were valid, so she’s not on the ballot either.

The two petitions approved and certified by the board for the ballot included Jim May, running as an incumbent for Wayne Township Trustee, and Brenda Povenski, running for the unexpired term ending March 31, 2028 for Unity Township Fiscal Officer. Povenski was already appointed to the position, but has to run for the unexpired term.

Fusco explained that May filed a petition to run for Wayne Township Trustee on July 18, but then on July 30, he came to the office and asked for copies of his petition, feeling that something was wrong. Then he came back later on July 30 and withdrew the petition before it was ever certified. On Aug. 4, he returned and filed a new petition for Wayne Township Trustee.

The prosecutor’s office was consulted and wrote that according to the Ohio Supreme Court, if a petition is withdrawn prior to being found invalid and before the deadline and then a new petition is filed and meets the requirements, the board can place it on the ballot. When asked if the letter for the withdrawal met the requirements, the board members all agreed it did.

Chairman David Johnson said they are to give every consideration for people to get on the ballot. May felt like he did something wrong and refiled. Turns out the original petition would have had a fatal flaw due to something being left blank.

“I think he did what we wish everyone would do,” board member Charley Kidder said.

The board approved a motion first to accept the withdrawal of the first petition, then approved a motion to accept the new petition.

In the case of Povenski, she had more than enough valid signatures on the petition she filed on June 18, but she checked the full term box instead of unexpired term and did not put in the end date for the term. The prosecutor’s office reviewed it and again cited an Ohio Supreme Court case, saying the question for the board is whether a signer of the petition would be misled by the error or omission.

“This is a technical error,” Johnson said.

The intent for the office is there since that’s the only office available for Unity Township Fiscal Officer. Kidder agreed and said he didn’t see how one checked box would have misled anyone.

The board approved the petition as submitted.

During her report, Fusco informed the board that East Liverpool Fourth Ward Council write-in candidate Craig Stowers withdrew. Also withdrawing was Leetonia Council Republican candidate Roman Ferry, who was just appointed as the Leetonia assistant village manager. Fusco said he filed his withdrawal on Tuesday. She said they’ll need to check on whether his withdrawal means the county Republican Party will get to name a replacement on the ballot. The filing deadline for write-in candidates is 4 p.m. Aug. 25.

She said two more write-in candidates had filed intentions, including Alana Amato for Wellsvile Village Council and Scott Caron for Columbiana school board.

Deputy Director Niki Wilkinson reported that she checked on a question about the use of a hyphenated name for any candidates and learned a candidate can use just one of the last names. The answer to the question was sent in writing by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.

In other business, the board approved $120,513 in charge backs for the May 6 primary election. The subdivisions that have to pay for being on the ballot and the amounts they have to pay include: Salem city, $3,959; East Palestine village, $1,534; Rogers village, $509; St. Clair Township, $407; Southern Local schools, $2,407; Children Services, $37,123; county share for sales tax and municipal court, $37,448; and state share, $37,123.

Bills approved for the month of July totaled $41,885.

mgreier@mojonews.com