Members of Trumbull County's Democratic Party will endorse candidates Thursday.
There are only two contested races locally.
Democratic State Rep. Tom Letson should get the party's support over Sheila Calko and David Cook, both of Warren, in the Ohio House of Representatives 64th District race.
But how members of the central committee will lean in the race for county sheriff is a little more tough to read.
Sheriff Thomas Altiere is being challenged by retired sheriff's office Major James R. Phillips.
Altiere, in a bid for a fifth term in 2008, was not backed by the party. Members instead endorsed Altiere's challenger then, Weathersfield police Chief Joe Consiglio. The endorsement didn't much matter, however, because Altiere went on to win handily in the primary.
There are about 235 central committee members eligible to vote. To receive the endorsement, a candidate must get 50 percent of the vote plus one. If not, there will be a second ballot.
Only committee members living in the 64th district are eligible to vote for that endorsement. Unopposed candidates will be endorsed by acclamation.
The meeting is 6 p.m. at DiVieste Banquet Hall.
Debra Roth of Warren has withdrawn her candidacy for Republican state central committee.
She did so Tuesday before a hearing protesting her candidacy was scheduled.
Her candidacy was being protested because a review of party affiliation of a petition circulator - who also signed a petition of hers - turned up that the circulator, Randy Law, voted Democrat in 2009.
Ohio law says that for purposes of signing or circulating a petition, a person is considered to be a member of a political party if that person voted in that party's primary election within the two prior calendar years.
So because the primary election filing date was in December 2011, two prior calendar years meant 2010 and 2009.
Members of the state central committee are elected from within the boundaries of the Ohio Senate Districts. In each, a male and female from both parties will be elected, with the responsibility of helping shape and guide the party over the next two years.
There are still two females running, Trumbull County Republican Party chairwoman Kathi Creed of Niles and Melissa Pope of Ashtabula.
Oddly enough, Law, who is running for the Republican nomination in the 64th District, isn't affected.
Candidates are allowed to file any political party regardless of how they voted and may circulate their own petitions.
Niles Mayor Ralph Infante has been returned as a member of the Trumbull County Board of Elections.
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted confirmed Infante on Jan. 6. He is returning to the seat he was forced to give up last year to run for re-election. The person Husted picked next, Sandra Stabile Harwood, like Infante, was required to resign because she is seeking election.
The term expires in February.