There will be no local issues on the Mar. 19 primary election ballot that will include two elections for the congressional seat vacated when Bill Johnson became president of Youngstown State University in January. Both elections will have the same slate of candidates for the 6th Congressional District Seat that includes Mahoning County---On the Democratic side of the ledger, Ryan Finzer, of Bedford Heights faces Michael Kripchak, of Youngstown. Republican candidates for Johnson’s former seat include State Sen. Michael Rulli, of Salem; as well as Rick Tsai, of East Palestine and Reggie Stolrzfus, of Minerva.
      Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called for the special primary and then a June 11 special general election to fill Johnson’s seat.
      A seat on the Seventh District Court of Appeals is a race between two Republicans, Mary DeGenaro, of Poland; and Kaitlyn Dickey, of Lisbon.
      DeGenaro served as a judge from 2001 to 2018 on the Seventh District Court of Appeals; and on January 25, 2018, Gov. John Kasich announced his appointment of DeGenaro to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of William O’Neill on the Ohio Supreme Court. She was sworn in as Ohio’s 159th Justice on January 28, 2018.
      A Columbiana County Municipal Court Judge, Dickey, born and raised in Columbiana County, was first elected to the bench in 2019 (reportedly spending more than $300,000 of her own money during the campaign for the seat).
      There is only two candidates for Mahoning County Prosecutor, formerly held by Paul Gains, that sets-up a general election between Democrat Gina DeGenova, of North Lima (whom Gains favored for appointment to the seat prior to his retirement), and Republican Lynn Maro, of Poland, who has a strong reputation for her knowledge of criminal law.
      While Democrat Dan Dascenzo, of Boardman, is the lone candidate from his party on the primary ballot for Mahoning County Clerk of Court; two Republicans are also seeking the post---David Schaffer, of Struthers; and Michael Ciccone, of Austintown. Dascenzo was appointed as Clerk of Court last year upon the retirement of Anthony Vivo.
      Incumbent County Recorder Noralyn Palermo, of Youngstown, a Democrat, is seeking re-election. On the March primary ballot for the position is Republican Richard Scarsella, of Boardman.
      Palermo has worked in the recorder’s office for almost a half-century. She was first appointed county recorder in June, 2007 and has been elected to four, four-year terms.
      Elected to the governing board of the Education Service Center of Eastern Ohio in 2005, Scarsella was also appointed to the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center board and continues serving today. He was appointed to the Mahoning Valley Regional Council of Governments governing board in 2017.
      There will be one issue on the ballot for voters in Boardman to consider, a five-year renewal of a 3/4-per cent criminal justice sales tax. The tax provides monies for the county’s criminal justice fund pays for the departments such as the sheriff’s office, jail, prosecutor’s office, 911 center and coroner’s office.