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David Skolnick

2026 judicial races in Valley draw great deal of attention

The filing deadline for the 2026 primary election is two months away, and a number of seats on the ballot in Mahoning and Trumbull counties are drawing interest from several candidates. A number of judicial seats lack incumbents — and several people seek to fill them. Most of the positions are opening up because of incumbents ineligible to seek reelection in 2026. In Ohio, judicial candidates cannot run for office if they will be at least 70 years old when they are sworn in. In Trumbull County, Probate Court Judge James A. Fredericka cannot seek reelection because of the age-limit ...

Close local races prove every single vote counts

The adage that every vote counts was quite evident in this recent election. A Sebring charter amendment and a Farmington fire and emergency medical service levy that were winning by a single vote each, according to unofficial totals from the Nov. 4 election, ended up losing by just one vote when provisional ballots were counted. Also, fewer than eight votes separated winners from losers in five races in Trumbull County communities. In one of those races, a candidate won by one vote. “Your vote counts in these races; it sure does,” said Stephanie Penrose, director of the Trumbull ...

DAVID SKOLNICK: Tim Ryan could wield big impact on governor’s race

Though Democrat Tim Ryan has not pulled the trigger on a gubernatorial bid, all signs point to the former 20-year Mahoning Valley congressman running for the seat. The announcement could come next week or Ryan could wait until early December. Feb. 4, 2026, is the filing deadline for the May 5 primary. During a recent text exchange, Dennis Willard, Ryan’s spokesman, wrote: “He has not made a decision. He has asked his team to prepare to launch a campaign.” In my response to asking if Ryan is getting close to a decision, Willard wrote: “The fact that he has asked us to prepare ...

Mahoning County, Austintown are pawns in Ohio redistricting

With Ohio Republicans carving up the state to produce a congressional map that favors its party 12-3 — and Democrats agreeing to it — Mahoning County played a key role as a pawn in the game. The county will be split starting with the 2026 election with the most egregious work done to Austintown, which ended being one of only 11 of Ohio’s 1,300-plus townships to be divided. The constitutional amendment that created this process was designed to reduce the number of ways congressional districts could be gerrymandered. But you would be hard-pressed to see that from the map approved ...

Some homeowners won’t see relief from tax reform bills

The two property tax bills recently approved by the Ohio House would save homeowners more than $2.4 billion over the next three years, but they would heavily benefit those in more rural areas. “Anything is better than nothing, but this is just a starting point,” said Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham, a Republican. “It’s going to drop the millage by a small amount. It doesn’t benefit cities. It’s more focused on smaller, rural areas.” The bills still need to be approved by the GOP-controlled state Senate and then signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, before ...

Issues, accusations taint Mahoning clerk of courts

On all levels of government, people get elected to offices they are not prepared to handle. It’s not a problem exclusive to any political party or to those who hold nonpartisan positions. We’ve recently had a Republican wave in Mahoning and Trumbull counties that has led to a number of politically inexperienced people getting elected to countywide office. Just as it was for decades in the two counties when clueless Democrats got elected simply because of their party affiliation, we’re seeing it with Republicans. While some have done well or at least hired the right people, ...