by Eric Marotta
News Leader Editor
Akron -- Was it fair for Bryan C. Williams, deputy director of the Summit County Board of Elections, to support an opponent of state Rep. Brian G. Williams in last year's election?
Or was it fair for Board of Elections Director Marijean Donofrio to serve while her husband, Summit County Fiscal Officer John A. Donofrio, was seeking re-election?
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is being asked to answer those questions, after the Summit County Board of Elections on Feb. 2 voted to refer two complaints alleging conflict of interest to her.
Kevin Kidder, a spokesperson from the Ohio Secretary of State's Office, said Feb. 5 the office has not yet received any correspondence on the issues from Summit County.
The first complaint, filed with the Board of Elections in October by Rep. Williams, alleges support that deputy director Williams gave to District 41 challenger Randy Cole "may be a direct violation of ethics policies as promulgated by the Secretary of State ... and may rise to the level of elections fraud."
Cole lost the Ohio House race by a 34,478 to 29,202 vote margin.
Rep. Williams stated that since the deputy director is "in a position of public trust with respect to election matters ... this certainly creates, at the very least, the appearance of impropriety."
In a written response, deputy director Williams stated the Ohio Revised Code, a directive from the Secretary of State's Office and the county elections board's policy on political activity allow board employees to conduct political activities on their own time and outside of board offices and polling places.
The second complaint, also filed in the fall, was part of a request by fiscal officer candidate Bill Conte to have his name changed on the ballot.
Conte had complained that his name was to appear on the ballot as "William B. Conte," though he had allegedly been informed by an elections official in August his request to have it changed to "Bill Conte" would be honored.
"To date, I have not made an issue of the fact that my opponent, incumbent John A. Donofrio, is married to Summit County Board of Elections Director Marijean Donofrio," Conte wrote. "However, when something like this happens, I am now forced to question the integrity, independence and objectivity of the Board in its ability to maintain standards."
Marijean Donofrio did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Conte said Feb. 5 he felt Donofrio's position as director during the election was a conflict of interest.
"I felt that she should have removed herself [as director] with pay," Conte said Feb. 5.
E-mail: emarotta@recordpub.com
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