Slow start for early voting
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Early voting was marked by a slow start Tuesday in Trumbull and Mahoning counties, a trend that officials said they expect to continue throughout the absentee voting season.
The issues on the May 2 ballot in Trumbull County include a Mathews Local School District bond issue and levy, and the race for the Niles Municipal Court judge's seat, according to Trumbull County Board of Elections Director Stephanie Penrose.
The 7.8-mill levy to pay for a new school complex in Mathews Local School District seemed to be a hot topic for voters, Penrose said. The levy has been defeated four times in the past, but is on the ballot again because the Mathews Board of Education wants to build a new, modern complex and demolish the existing three school buildings.
However, the race for Niles Municipal Court Judge is the election that drew the most voters on Tuesday, Penrose said. Judge Thomas Townley will be retiring at the end of this year, and four attorneys are competing for the Democratic nomination to replace him: Chris Shaker, Gil Blair, Terry Swauger and John Gargano.
"I think the Niles Municipal Court District is going to come out pretty strong," Penrose said.
Elections for Warren City Treasurer and Warren City Auditor, as well as several council seats, also are on the ballot, as are council races in Girard, Hubbard and Niles, but Penrose said city elections do not normally generate much voter turnout.
"I think it's a shame because local elections are where the people who are really going to help you fix a pothole or something," Penrose said.
Overall, Penrose said she is expecting 15 percent of registered voters to turn out for the primary, which is about the same for previous elections on odd-numbered years when local elections took place. On Tuesday, only 25 people came out to vote, with 178 absentee ballots sent through the mail, according to Penrose.
In Mahoning County, the issues on the ballot included the race for the Struthers Municipal Court judge, the Youngstown Municipal Court judge, and the Youngstown mayor's seat, according to Mahoning County Board of Elections Deputy Director Tom McCabe.
Incumbent John McNally is being challenged for the mayor's seat by Jamael Tito Brown. Carla Baldwin and Anthony Sertick are competing for the Democratic nomination for Youngstown Municipal Judge,
Jamie Dunn, James Lanzo and Dominic Leone are competing for the Struthers Municipal Judge, according to the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
"The mayor's race tends to attract more early voting traditionally," McCabe said.
By 3 p.m. Tuesday, McCabe said the voting booths in Mahoning only had approximately 18 people come in early to vote, with 950 mail-in ballots.
ddye@tribtoday.com