A candidate running as an independent for Youngstown mayor may not actually be eligible for the ballot. 

 

John White filed his petitions with the Mahoning county board of elections on Monday, declaring his intention to seek the office he was previously disqualified from holding back in 2021. 

 

White's candidacy at that time ended when his eligibility was challenged on two separate grounds. The first was that he had filed to run as an independent and then voted in the Democratic primary, a factor that would not affect him running during this cycle. 

 

The second, however, was that White had not been an elector, or voter, in the city of Youngstown for at least five years, having first voted in Mahoning county in 2021. 

 

That matter would seem to still apply, as voting records show White first voted in Mahoning county on May 4, 2021, just under four years ago. 

 

White told 21 News earlier this week that he registered to vote in 2020 and that it's his understanding that he's eligible since five years have passed since then. White says he discussed this matter with Tom McCabe, the director of the Mahoning county board of elections, but McCabe says that's not exactly the case. 

 

McCabe tells 21 News he discussed the process of gathering signatures and ballot eligibility with White, but that he has not discussed when White registered to vote or if he would be eligible as a result. According to board records, White registered to vote in February of 2021, but McCabe said if he's got documentation showing otherwise, he would simply need to produce it. 

 

Tom McCabe said he has reached out to the Youngstown law department for clarification on the matter and will be drafting a formal request for an opinion. 

 

21 News has called and emailed law director Lori Shells Simmons to see if there have been any changes to the city's charter that would make White eligible to hold office, but have not heard back as of 2:33 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. 

 

The city's charter as posted online outlines the eligibility requirements for mayor as being: 

 

"The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the City. The Mayor shall be eligible to be elected for an unlimited number of terms of four years each. The Mayor will be eligible for election after an intervening term. The Mayor shall not hold any other public office, except that of notary public. The Mayor shall be an elector and resident of the City for the five years immediately preceding the Mayor's election, and not less than thirty years of age. The Mayor shall appoint and may remove the heads of all departments, except as otherwise provided in this Charter. The Mayor shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as are conferred or required by this Charter or the laws of the State insofar as they are consistent with this Charter."

 

The ordinance does include a disclaimer that the information may not be the most current information and could have changed since being posted. 

 

21 News has emailed White for a response but has not heard back yet.