WARREN — The eligibility of the judicial candidacy of Republican Sarah Thomas Kovoor remains in question after the Trumbull County Board of Elections deadlocked 2-2 with a vote along party lines.

By law, the tie breaking vote goes to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican.

Kovoor was selected by the Trumbull GOP Central Committee on Sunday to be put on the November ballot, to fill the remaining term of retired Common Pleas Judge Peter J. Kontos.

The elections board did vote to place Democrat Cynthia Westcott Rice, a sitting appellate judge, on the ballot in the same race. Kontos, who retired as of July 31, was elected in 2020 to a six year term that expires at the end of 2026.

Election board President Mark Alberini, a Democrat who voted against allowing Kovoor on the ballot, said he thinks the board got it wrong.

“The law is clear and an opinion from our prosecutorás office clearly stated that Kovoor does not belong on the ballot,” said Alberini, who voted along Democrat Diana Marchese to not allow Kovoor on the ballot. Voting to put Kovoor on the ballot were Republican elections board members Ronald Knight and Arno Hill.

“There are extenuating circumstances going one way or the other. This is an issue that should go to Columbus,” Hill said.

Alberini said both sides of the elections board have to send their positions to LaRose before a decision is made.

“This could take a while,” Alberini said.

Read MORE in Saturday’s Tribune Chronicle.