Residents, clergy press Mahoning County commissioners for public hearings on proposed Board of Elections move

Pastor Simon, pastor of New Birth Baptist Church and a representative of the Community Mobilization Coalition, told Mahoning County commissioners on April 3 that residents have questions about a proposed move of the Board of Elections and are asking for public hearings before any final decision.

"We did have our candidates forum on the past week ... one of the issues that were brought up in the forum was this issue of the proposed move of the Board of Elections," Pastor Simon said, adding the coalition had taken the concern to the commissioners and the Board of Elections. He summarized the board of elections' stated reasons for the move as being out of compliance with the secretary of state for security protocols, building issues and outdated infrastructure.

The concern raised by Pastor Simon and other speakers was not the need for a secure facility, he said, but the process. "We're concerned about the process that they're going through and the plans that they have already made without any public input," he said.

Lina Davis, who identified herself as a Sixth Ward member of Youngstown City Council speaking for residents of her ward, said moving the elections office to Austintown or another site outside Youngstown would limit access for city residents who already face transportation challenges. She urged the commissioners and the Board of Elections to consider an alternative site inside Youngstown and suggested the former Chill Can plant as a ready-made location on an existing bus route.

"It restricts access to the Board of Elections. It creates transportation challenges for city residents who already have transportation issues ... It could end up being a 3, 4 hour process, which ... discourages city residents who are already challenged from voting," Davis said.

A county commissioner who spoke during the meeting said no final decision had been made and asked the public to allow the board time to verify facts. The commissioner noted two earlier closures affecting the building cited by the board of elections — one caused by a tenant incident in a basement and one that followed a downtown power outage — and reiterated that the commission had not yet filed a decision.

"There has been no decision made," the commissioner said. "Any decision we make ... we're not trying to disenfranchise anyone."

Why this matters: The Board of Elections has historically been located in the county seat, Youngstown, which county speakers noted contains about 30% of the county population. Residents and advocates told commissioners that moving the office to a location outside the city could worsen barriers to voting for people with limited transportation and could reduce walk-in access to election services.

Next steps: Speakers asked commissioners to hold public hearings or other formal public input sessions and to explore suitable sites in Youngstown. The commissioner who addressed the meeting said the board would continue to consider input as it proceeds and that there would be further follow-up.