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Councilman says campaign-sign claim just mistake
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - November 18, 2009)
Councilman says campaign-sign claim just mistake
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
A rookie mistake led to talk in Burton Village of ousting Councilman Craig Ronyak.
Last week, Brian Johnston, president of the village board of public affairs, revealed a plot to replace Mr. Ronyak with the candidate that finished fifth in the Nov. 3 race for four seats on Village Council.
He said the conspirators planned to reveal that Mr. Ronyak had used a campaign sign that included the term "re-elect," which was inaccurate, since Mr. Ronyak had been appointed to his seat. Mr. Johnston said the conspirators reasoned that the infraction would force Mr. Ronyak off of council.
But it never happened, and candidate Sue Fisher, who finished fifth in the race, said she wanted no part of such a plot.
Mr. Ronyak, who received the highest number of votes in the election, said he was completely unaware that there was a problem with the sign. "I had no idea," he said.
Being new to politics, Mr. Ronyak said he made a call to place an order for his election signs. The woman taking the order asked him whether he was already on council, and he said yes. The signs arrived, and he put them up, not knowing that they were in violation of election laws, he said. "I never knew it was wrong. If I had been told they were, I would have gone around and put tape over it."
Mr. Ronyak said he thought those who plotted to use the issue against him showed their pettiness.
Philip Richter, executive director of the Ohio Elections Commission, said it is an issue that has been before the commission "many, many times."
This year, he said, the commission had its hand full with complaints from the Cleveland area because of changes in ward boundaries. Council members who previously had been elected became were faced with problems, because they were placing "re-elect" signs in areas where the voters had not elected them as their representatives.
Mr. Richter said the commission has three options in dealing with "re-elect" signs that are improperly used.
He said the most severe is to refer the matter to the local county prosecutor for criminal charges. He said that option never has been used when dealing with "re-elect" signs.
A more common option is allowing the commission's finding of wrongdoing to serve as notice to a candidate. A stronger option would be a letter of reprimand, Mr. Richter said.
"Re-elect" signs, he said, only can be used by a candidate that had previously been elected to the position.
He said the board generally allows its finding of wrongdoing to serve as punishment. But Mr. Richter said it will take the stronger action if a candidate ignores the ruling and continues to place the signs.
Those that make an effort to correct their mistake do not see any further action, he said.
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